Prayer Establishes Our Rapture to God
Be Patient
Scripture Reading: James 5:8-12
Key Verse: James 5:7
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.
To even use the word patient strikes a little terror in most of us. Patience is a tough concept in a “microwave” society! We Christ followers are affected by the impatient society we live in, aren’t we? James, the brother of Jesus, writes that patience is necessary in our walk with God. God’s timing is usually different than the timing we would want! James repeats the thought that Peter wrote about: “The Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:8).
I often follow my words of “God’s kingdom come” with “even so, Lord Jesus, come!” It is not that I don’t like my life. I do, but I really believe in the splendor of the next life that God is preparing. For Christ followers, the next world (kingdom) so outshines this world (kingdom) we can easily pray: “May your kingdom come!”
James uses a couple of illustrations. First is the farmer. The farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop. He even must be patient for the seasonal rains to come. When we ask God for favors, we are planting a seed. Most of the time, it will take several factors to line up before that “seed” will grow into our answer! Patience is required.
The second illustration James uses is in the person of Job. It’s Job’s perseverance that should become a model for us. Don’t lose hope. God’s kingdom is coming!
Father, the weeks, months and years that pass can make me grow impatient with your time. I will practice patience today. In Jesus’ Name, amen.