Can I pray for you in any way?
Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.
In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:12-13
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
When I was growing up, my parents taught me a saying that I held onto for many years.
“Patience is a virtue.”
I have embraced this in my life and have even used it during times when I have had to wait like in lines waiting to check out at stores I shop in. In those instances, as people might apologize for me having to wait, I will often add:
“...and I try to be a virtuous person.”
In other words, it’s important for us to develop and refine patience in our lives.
This is a point that transcends mere worldly wisdom and sayings for when we look within the fifth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we learn this:
“...the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Vv.22-23 NLT
As Christians, we see where patience is imparted to us, not by our own reckoning or will but rather through the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling within us. It along with the other positive results that come from submitting to the Spirit are when Paul refers to as the “fruit”, the healthy spiritual nourishment that feeds our souls and breeds a greater righteousness from the inside out.
As we enter into a fourth message under this Advent theme of hope, we see where it (hope) is another developer of patience within a believer. Going back to the Apostle Paul, here’s what he wrote in his letter to the Romans:
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:24-25
We should also note the intersection between the Holy Spirit and hope that leads into these two verses. Look at these words from verse 23:
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Friends, no matter what happens in this life, no matter how hard things get and no matter how long we need to wait with patience for the Lord to carry out His will, the truth of the matter is that our eternal future is secure in Christ Jesus. And it will be far worth the wait, trust me as we “hope for what we do not yet have”, the “redemption of our bodies”.
This guaranteed hope of the best ending ever for any life, one that we don’t fully know will look like but through hope are willing to wait for, serves as spiritual fertilizer for our fruit of patience, helping it grow and grow until we get to the place where we don’t even fret over the waiting anymore. Rather, we simply trust in the Lord who is always working things for our good.
And so the next time you are standing in that long line with not enough registers open to check people out, stop and breathe a little while seeing the moment as an opportunity for the Lord to cultivate and harvest patience in your life, a patience that will one day pay off when you cross from this imperfect, frustrating worldly life into the perfect everlasting one to come. And then, substitute this testimony when anyone apologizes for making you wait:
“I don’t mind waiting. Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit born out of the hope I have in Christ Jesus.”
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.
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