Today,
I would like to discuss patience, everyone’s favorite word! Patience is defined
as bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with
fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like. The Lord calls us
to be patient not only in the small things (ie: traffic!) but also in the big
things. I think Abraham is an
extraordinary example for us to study in this area. First, let me say that summarizing Abraham’s
journey does not do the story justice. I
encourage you to go and read Genesis as soon as you get the chance. Until then,
here’s a quick overview:
In
Genesis 15, the Lord promises Abraham he will have an heir, a son, and that his
descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Despite his old age,
Abraham believed. God revealed that Abraham’s descendants would be slaves for
400 years and the 4th generation would receive the blessing of the
promised land. Finally, Sarah gives
birth to Isaac, the son that God promised Abraham, in Ch 20 when Abraham is 100
years old!
Often,
I grow impatient just waiting for the red light to change on my way to work but
Abraham waited until he was 100 years old for the Lord’s promise of a son to be
realized. In addition, he never
personally saw the promised land, that blessing came 400 years later. My question to you is… how much do you truly
trust God’s timing? As we approach the
end of the year, many of us will be reflecting on the goals we set for the
year, what we have accomplished, and where we feel that we have fallen
short. I would like to encourage you
not to grow discouraged in the blessings you are still waiting on but to
rejoice in the blessings that the Lord has bestowed on you in the past 12
months. Don’t forget to also cherish
God’s promises, because they will be fulfilled in His perfect timing.
Prayer:
Lord, I praise you for every single blessing you have bestowed on me in 2012. I thank you for your kindness, your grace and your perfect timing. Please help me to stay focused on your word and your promises. Amen.