near or far or both?

If God is greater than the universe how/why would he care for me?

The thing is, things are in things.  We can go up or down, right or left, and a variety of other dimensional options.  But doing more of one is doing less of another. 
The idea of being near (in a focused attentive way) and far (in a focused attentive way) seems impossible, and is for us.
There is a fairly common struggle in relating to this.  How can God (say something about broad scope) also care about me?
Answer?  By being the Creator, not a creation.

    [8:1] O LORD, our Lord,
        how majestic is your name in all the earth!
    You have set your glory above the heavens.
         [2] Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
    you have established strength because of your foes,
        to still the enemy and the avenger.

    [3] When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
        the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
     [4] what is man that you are mindful of him,
        and the son of man that you care for him?

    [5] Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
        and crowned him with glory and honor.
     [6] You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
        you have put all things under his feet,
     [7] all sheep and oxen,
        and also the beasts of the field,
     [8] the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
        whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

    [9] O LORD, our Lord,
        how majestic is your name in all the earth!
 (Psalm 8 ESV)

    [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
(Matthew 6:30 ESV)

Goldilocks and the futue

A little girl wanders into a bear family's house.  She helps herself to their food.  It makes sense when you are a kid; I wonder why?  Anyway, it is a story about comparisons.  The porridge (oatmeal?  congee?) in one bowl is"too hot!" in another it is "too cold." and finally in a third bowl it is "just right,"  So she just eats it up.
Speaking about the future we can be 'too hot' 'too cold' or 'just right'.
Too hot = arrogantly claiming how the future will play out (too much confidence in MY will)
Too cold = irresponsibly not engaging the future, just assuming it will all play out (not using my will)
Just right = intentionally taking in God's wisdom and applying your will in trust to your understanding of God's will, always open to his redirection. (Made in God's image, using my will in humble and hopeful trust under His will)

[13] Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— [14] yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. [15] Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” [16] As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. [17] So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
(James 4:13-17 ESV)

Goldilocks and planning

James' thesis

    [12] Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
(James 1:12 ESV)

blessed = makarios, happy, well off, fortunate...
this is the same 'blessed as in the sermon on the mount (also in LXX for Ps. 1).

Who is well off?
"steadfast under trial" - things are not easy, but this person does not give up

Why is not quitting when it is hard 'well off'?

when the time of testing is over, if one is still standing, he will receive life's award (goal, prize, point)
That is God's promise to people who love him (and don't quit when under trials)

What i see is James making an argument for his people that fidelity to God, in spite of short term losses and hardships, is the best long term investment of life.


Everything in the book expounds on that idea.

Withdrawals from junk (processed food, heroin, selfishness...)

[7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
(James 4:7-10 ESV)

Submit to one, resist the other.  That is clarifying.

Draw near to God
   Cleanse hands (you sinnners)
   Purify your hearts (you double-minded)

   Be wretched and mourn and weep
   Let you laughter be mourning, joy gloom
Humble yourselves before the Lord

HE WILL EXALT YOU

hands and hearts?  Actions and Attitudes.  Clear enough: don't sin and be double minded, change your actions and thinking.

But, why all the sad stuff?  MT 5:4, blessed are those who mourn.  Luke 6 mourn, weep etc.? 

It is a sickening feeling to turn from a corrupt coping system to get back on a healthy system.  In other words, DON'T EXPECT A WASHING LIGHT TO DESCEND WHEN YOU ARE SORRY.  You can receive grace IMMEDIATELY to reassure you, but the painful withdrawals will take time and, well, will be painful.  But its worth it.

He will exalt you (lift you up from the muck).

clarify loyalties

    [4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. [5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? [6] But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
(James 4:4-10 ESV)

Circling back...

Covenant is with God
We live in a world in rebellion to God
We have desires with options for fulfillment in the rebellious world
We just need to befriend the world  in rebellion to pursue those desires
When we do so... We betray our beloved, defile our covenant, and become part of the rebellious camp and thus 'enemies of God'.

So what should we do?  CLARIFY LOYALTIES

God gives grace, go get some.  Draw near to God and away from the adversary.  Make it unambiguous:  Yes to God, no do the leader of rebellion against God.

God will take that humility, that acknowledgment that we need him, and will graciously help.  He is 'jealous for the Spirit he has made to dwell in us'.  He gave us his Spirit to be able to live his way.  It is troublesome for us to neglect that.  When we return and walk by the spirit, we can learn to have appropriate desires met appropriately, as much as can be done in a fallen world.