Patience! James

May the mumbling commence!

Welcome to thirty days with the letter James!

Why not try some patience?  Sometimes it is extremely difficult to wait – especially when things seem to be going downhill rapidly.  Where is my hope in situations like these? 

The Lord is in control.  The Lord is coming.  I find my hope in these facts.

Read from James chapter five (NIV), and try on patience as a fruit of the Spirit of the living God.

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.  Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (Verses 7-11)

Be patient until the Lord’s coming – and that coming is near.  Look for signs of that coming as a farmer looks in the sky for signs of impending rain.  Here in Kansas looking for impending rain is often a long wait!

And a part of being patient is standing firm in your convictions.  Work the soil in the anticipation of a great harvest.  We show our hope by our work.  Prepare yourself for a mighty work of the Lord.

Another part of being patient is refraining from grumbling about the circumstances – especially against our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Do not grumble, and do not judge.  Those people who are quick to the judgment seat will also be the ones that are quick to be judged by the most righteous Judge of all – God.

But how can we do these things and be patient in the face of the suffering in our world today?  James points us to the prophets of old.  They persevered.  They have their reward from God. 

James also points us to the character of Job.  Are we as willing as Job to take both the good and the bad from the hand of the Lord?  Can we so easily say, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away”?

Let that be our morning song and our afternoon delight and the lullaby that sends us off to sweet dreams at night.  The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.  O Holy Spirit, grant me patience.  Grant us patience.

And we will find that the Lord in abounding in compassion and mercy.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out