Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master's Arrival.
You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time.
Friends, don't complain about each other.
A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know.
The Judge is standing just around the corner.
Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God.
What a gift life is to those who stay the course!
You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.
Imagine: A farmer plows the field ---- and plants the seeds.
The first good rains of spring begin to soak the ground in the days that follow.
Good sunshine comes next, just the kind you need to warm the ground and germinate the seeds.
One week goes by...then another.
More good rain, more good sun.
Still nothing.
What should that farmer do?
It's obvious, right? She should dig up all the seeds and see what the problem is, right?
After all, taking those seeds out of the ground to see what's going on is the only way they'll ever sprout.
Wrong...of course.
Anyone who has ever planted a seed knows that most of the time, sprouting seems to take longer than we'd like.
Growth into a strong, mature, fruit-yielding plant takes even longer still.
Gardening teaches patience. Because it's a requirement.
What about life...church...ministry...discipleship?
Rarely do the important relationships in our lives sprout and bloom as quickly as we might like. There is NO perfect church. There is NO perfect family, school, organization, program or peer group.
For the people of Israel, the Messiah's arrival took longer than anyone imagined or wanted. For the kids among us who right now wait on the arrival of Christmas morning, patience may be a virtue, but it's no fun whatsoever.
James says that we are like farmers...with seeds in the ground...patiently waiting for the rain that will do its "slow but sure" work.
What could that mean in each of our lives?
It might mean that we ask God to forgive us for all the times that we've pulled perfectly good seeds out of the ground, just to check and see when they'd be ready.
It might mean that we have something to learn today...something about patience...and God's timing...and the things that matter most.
Prayer: As we wait and prepare during this Advent season, we ask for the gift of patience. May we see this Fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives, watered and sustained by God's presence.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.
Tomorrow's Scripture: Matthew 11:1-6
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