ACTIVELY WAIT FOR THE LORD
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
James 5:7-8 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
I am one who believes “patience” should be a four-letter word. This is an issue I have struggled with my entire life.
I don’t like eating at places that require a wait list. I don’t like people who drive slow on the freeway. I don’t know how we ever survived in the days where snail mail was our only way of communicating. To me, the microwave making popcorn seems slow—why should it take a minute and 10 seconds to make my popcorn?
But in the kingdom of God patience is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). In our text today James is teaching us that we are to be like farmers who are patiently waiting for their harvest to come in.
Most crops will require about a six month wait between the planting of the seed and the time for harvesting the crop. The farmer doesn’t plant one day and then expect to harvest tomorrow.
But during the time of waiting the farmer is active. Patience is not inactivity. He works the fields to remove the weeds. He makes sure the crop is watered. He works on the tractors and equipment to be sure they are ready to bring in the harvest. There is a lot of work in preparation. The time of waiting is a time of preparation.
This should be how our time of waiting is handled. We are waiting on God to do His miracle. In this waiting time we should be actively preparing for the provision God is bringing. We should be growing ourselves. Studying the Word of God and developing our intellect. This should be our time to be ready to have a productive harvest because we were prepared when the time came.
Imagine it is harvesting time and the farmer decides to check on the tractor and realizes he is out of gas and has two flat tires. He was spending his waiting time watching TV instead of getting ready.
What are you doing today to be prepared for your harvest?
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to be actively wait for Your work to be complete in my life.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
Actively waiting for the full harvest God has for me.
I’ve been learning to be patient it’s actually a virtue. God’s timing is the best.