James says this in response to an Old Testament prophecy he has just referred to. Being a good Jew he knew this passage and knew that God would cause Gentiles to call on His name. Probably James believed God would save Gentiles through proselytism to Judaism, for this was being preached even in this context (15:1,5). But God had a completely different way, a way that was a surprise to James, a way he likely struggled with, a way he now accepted. So to James' credit we see that he did not put God in a box, limiting Him to a certain path. James could see that God always knew, and that it was James who needed to fit into God's "box".
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