Patience. It's one of those words we don't always like to hear or even talk about, but a very important one nevertheless. If you're like me this seems to be one of the favorite lessons God likes to teach me. (Even as I tried to post this newsletter several times before the end of the month my browser would crash) I think God has a sense of Humor.
Romans 15:5-6 says "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
God is in control. And I need to realize that God is in control, that God is going to work. The hard part is I just need to patiently wait for Him. And that is the problem, isn't it? That thing called patience. More often than not, I am tempted to meddle and mess things up, because I don't wait for God. But that is because I am impatient, and maybe you are too. We have a great need to learn patience, don't we?
2 Peter 3:8-9 - "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering [or patient] toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
The Lord isn't being slow about his promise to return, as some people really think. No, he is being patient for those who don't know Him (which is for most of us is also including our loved ones). He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent and place their faith in Him. We never know who will be reached by the seeds of truth that we plant in the hearts and minds of individuals, so we must sow the seeds and let God take care of the rest.
Now I really appreciate that God is patience with me, and I am thankful for that. However, I am not so patient with Him or with other people all the time. Let me give you an example, when I'm witnessing and I think this person is not responsive to the gospel I can get frustrated, and want to just move on. But I never know whats going on inside, and you don't either because God sees their heart. He sees something totally different than we do.
So many within the Scriptures got into trouble because they didn't wait upon God. True patience is waiting upon God. I don't know why that should be so difficult, and yet, to me, it's one of the most difficult things in my Christian experience to learn, to wait upon God. And I think that is true throughout the Bible. So often our failure is in waiting upon God.
Galatians 5:22-23 says "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [or patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
But here is the key, when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And in a world full of false doctrine and prejudice against truth, we must be patient as we seek to lead people to Christ. The testing of our faith develops patience, and that causes us to learn to wait upon God.
James 5:8 says "You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." We must ask God to give us His eyes that we may see how He sees, and to give us His heart that we love as He loves. May you be apart of Gods gospel work by engaging in it with love and patience. Thank You, Father, for Your patience with us.
Seek and save that which is lost and press on in Love,
Tim Molter
P.S. How is your reading through the Bible going? I am thoroughly enjoying reading the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. It is a fascinating foundation to what we Christians believe. Stay the course.
