patience – Page 2 – Be Still…

James 5:7-12 – Patiently Waiting

Read James 5:7-12

What are you waiting on right now? Maybe it’s news from the doctor on a test. Maybe it’s a box of goodies in the mail. Maybe it’s that vacation you just booked. We all share in the wait for Jesus’ return, and James calls it out plain as day in this text. Are you feeling patient today? James said, “Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

James has us think about farmers. Think of the patience it requires to plant seeds every spring and then wait. Wait to see if the seeds sprout like they’re supposed to. Wait to see if the rains come at just the right time. Wait for storms to pass so you can assess the damage. Wait for the crops to be ready for harvest. That’s a lot of waiting. But farmers accept the wait. They know it’s all part of the plan.

Jeremiah 14:19-22 – When God is Silent

Read Jeremiah 14:19-22

God doesn’t respond here to Jeremiah’s cry for answers. What do you make of his non-response? Does God assume that by now Jeremiah would understand what is coming? Perhaps Jeremiah didn’t expect the timeline of events to be happening so soon. Perhaps Jeremiah still hoped God would change his mind.

How do you behave when you’re waiting for God to answer your prayers? Are you patient or persistent? Sometimes I feel like a broken record repeating the same prayers over and over. In that way I’m persistent, but I can’t say I’m all that patient.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 – Be Patient

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Paul is packing a lot of wisdom into these last few verses. We should not rush past the message that might be screaming at us today. For me, the message was to be patient with people! I don’t know about you, but I can be very impatient when people don’t act in the way I expect. This may be exactly the message I need to hear today.

Lazy, timid, and weak people are also featured here. Yet, bottom line, Paul says we are called to be patient with “everyone,” not just the lazy, timid, and weak. Do you resonate with one of these distinctions of the human condition?

Song of Solomon 3:1-5 – Does Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

Read Song of Solomon 3:1-5

Was she dreaming or awake? Apparently, there is something about the text that has led scholars to believe Shulamith was dreaming of missing her man. Whether dreaming or awake, her intense love for Solomon is sure. She was missing him something fierce. Have you ever been separated from the one you love?

Our daughter was separated for nearly two years from the man she was dating when she lived in Africa and he was in California going to seminary. I am sure she had some nights laying in bed dreaming of the day when they would be back together again. Long distance relationships can be hard. Shulamith would likely endure many nights after their wedding when the king would be away on “kingly” business.

Romans 15:1-13 – People Pleasers

Read Romans 15:1-13

You’ve probably met people like me, and perhaps this describes you, too. Always striving to please, be liked, make others comfortable. I often take it a step too far when I try to “fix” things. My efforts are sometimes welcomed, and other times I just mess things up worse with my silver lining kind of attitude. Well, the opening verses of this chapter sure made me smile.

I suppose a lot of my joy bubbles up from inside because I know who I belong to. I am the daughter of a king. My Lord and Savior has my back. No matter what life throws my way I have His love and promise of eternity. The same is available for you, too! How does that make you feel?