Tag:

Patience

Everyone Else!

by TerryLema

Ah, we have come to the last obligation found in 1Thessalonians 5:14: “And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” [5:14 HCSB]

That last command is pretty all-purpose. “Be patient with everyone.”

I think Paul left it for last because he knows a lot about the attitudes of people who might excuse themselves from the first three commands.  We may claim to not know anyone who is irresponsible, discouraged, or weak … but we all know an “everyone.”

The person who is “patient with everyone” is one who is even-tempered and slow to anger. We may need that trait abundantly when we deal with the idle, timid, or weak. We may need that trait abundantly when we deal with unbelievers.

Perhaps we need it most abundantly when we deal with believers who provoke discontent in the church through their thoughtless or even intentionally hurtful acts. We all have run across those believers who are harsh or judgmental.

It is so much easier to have patience with people who are struggling in the circumstances of life. It is far harder to have patience with people we do not particularly like or who do not particularly like us! Yet, we all know those people exist both in and out of the church.

Paul does not leave us with much of an excuse … we are to “be patient with everyone.”

Today: Thank you LORD for giving me the opportunity to exercise patience with everyone, just as You exercise so much patience with me.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Patience

by TerryLema

I am one of those people who think that arriving five minutes early is being late.  I fuss if I am not “on time,” and have often made life miserable for those around me who do not carry my sense of timing.

There are other people (some in my family) who live by “ish” time.  When you ask them what time they will be over, they reply with something like “5-ish,” which really means any time between 5 and 10.  To say I grow impatient waiting is an understatement.

Despite my sense of time, one thing is clear, God’s timing will bewilder us.  He rarely operates according to my schedule. It seems I am always “waiting for God.”

Last Sunday at The Way we looked at Jesus and Jairus in Mark 5:21-43. Jairus was a man of authority, but as so often happens, desperation drove him to do something he would not normally. His little 12-year-old daughter was at the point of death and out of love for her, he found himself at the feet of a Galilean carpenter.  Jairus’ only hope was that Jesus would get there in time to stop her death.

On the way to Jairus’ home, a woman with a chronic illness touches Jesus and is healed. When Jesus’ perceives that power (dunamis) has gone from Him, He stops the parade and questions the woman. Can you imagine Jairus’ anxiety in the delay?  While Jesus is talking to the woman, Jairus receives the news he feared, his daughter has died.

What does Jesus say to him? “I’m sorry?” No, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” [vs 36 HCSB]

Jesus is telling Jairus, “Trust me,” and therein is the dilemma we often face. Can we trust Jesus when His timing is different from ours?  Can we trust Him when everything is crashing down upon us and what we asked of Him is not immediately coming?

Jairus had no choice but to trust Jesus. There was no one else who could meet his need. We, too, must trust, because truthfully, there is no one else who can meet our need.Pat

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Clothe Yourself

by TerryLema

The other day I reminded us about who we are. Peter gave such a beautiful description of us in his first letter. “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” [2:9]

With all those marvelous privileges come heavy responsibilities. Paul is always good about reminding us of our responsibilities to God and to others. He wastes no times in Colossians 3. After reminding us we are a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Christ Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone, he tells how that should look in our daily walk.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” [v12]

When I read how Paul described our “garments” – what we are to be “clothed with” – I recall the coat that Jacob made for his son, Joseph. It is described as a “coat of many colors” in Genesis 37. Jacob gave Joseph that beautiful precious coat because he loved his son.

Paul tells us that as God’s chosen people, we are also “dearly loved” by our Father. As such, we are to wear a beautiful spiritual coat that reflects the love we have received from Him. This coat is colored with compassions, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

When we adorn ourselves with our coat of many colors and walk our Christian walk in this world, we bless others. We reflect how much the love of our Father has changed us. We are not cruel as many are, but gentle and kind. We are not angry but filled with patience. We are not arrogant, but humble. We walk with quiet strength amid all circumstances.

There are no exceptions contained in our responsibilities, no matter the difficulties that surround us. We do not stop being clothed with our spiritual coat of many colors just because of a fear-and-virus pandemic. If anything, our spiritual coat should be on even greater display.

0 comment
FacebookEmail