Do you like being told to be patient?
Nothing makes me
more impatient than someone telling
me to be patient. Am I the only one?
Read this fascinating passage from James 5:
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto
the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit
of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and
latter rain. Be ye also patient;
stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one
against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth
before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name
of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold,
we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and
have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender
mercy (James 5:7-11).
James tells Christians to be patient, waiting and ready for
the Lord’s return. He writes this at a time when Jesus had recently left. He had witnessed Jesus
resurrected, might have even watched His ascension, too. James knew what he was
talking about. (He wrote these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
They are God’s Word.)
Don’t you find it noteworthy that James tells us to wait, to
be patient?
At the same time, James tells us Jesus’ return is imminent.
He says, the
judge standeth before the door (verse 9). He
tells us the coming of the Lord draweth
nigh (verse 8).
What a perspective! Jesus could return at any time. James
knew it. And we know it.
In the meantime, like the prophets
of old—like Job—we’re to suffer affliction with patience, and endure. (verses
10-11)
We’re to stablish our hearts. This word means establish, strengthen.
While we wait, we grow in grace so
we have stronger hearts.
And we keep looking up.
We lift up our
heads; for our redemption draweth
nigh (Luke 21:28).
Be patient.
He’s coming!
Amen!! A mi también me ponen impaciente, cuando me dicen que sea paciente.Pero hemos de aprender a serlo, porque lo que viene es mejor que lo que dejamos.
ReplyDelete¡Gracias, Tere! Me gusta lo que dijiste, "es mejor lo que viene." (Thank you, Tere! I like what you said, "what's coming is better than what we left behind.")
DeleteWhen I struggle to have patience I often remind myself that God is very patient with me.
ReplyDeleteHow very true! What a blessing that God is patient--even though He's infinitely more wise than we are. He never ceases to amaze me! Thank you, Lauren, for sharing.
DeleteI've heard some people take issue with James's assessment of Job as a patient man, because he didn't seem patient to them in the way we think of it. Layton Talbert's comment in his book Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job (a book I highly recommend) was helpful: "This Biblical virtue is not a sappy, carefree cheeriness. It is a manly word that means to ‘remain under’ whatever pressure or pain one is presently enduring from the hand of God. Patience is fortitude under adversity. Job struggled to maintain his integrity and his faith under great duress." (p. 32).
ReplyDeleteThat's excellent! It absolutely has to have that meaning. Loved the phrase that it isn't a "sappy carefree cheeriness!" We live in a real world. Thank you for sharing this fabulous quotation.
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