It is no surprise to me that James closes this writing with an admonition on prayer to God for wisdom and knowledge for all areas of our life. By praying, we experience the understanding that God''s grace is sufficient for all our needs and that He is sovereign over all of them.

I read recently of a family on vacation who wanted to enjoy some time of recreation in a nearby playground. The little girl wanted to get in but the gate was locked. Her father explained that she couldn''t play there because of the locked gate. "But Daddy," she said, "you''ve got lots of keys." She hadn''t learned yet that one must have the right key in order to open the door. Nobody today remembers the little chorus we once sang, "Prayer is the key that opens Heaven''s door." But it is true. Remember how in James…