Saturday, January 28, 2006

Blessed By The Patience Of God

"Today's Devotion" For January 28, 2006

Read: II Peter 3:8-9; Hebrews 1:12-2:3

BLESSED BY THE PATIENCE OF GOD

"He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9b)

"Patience is a virtue." How often haven't you heard that one? Then there's the old prayer "standard," "God give me patience and give it to me now!" I can assure you that I've both facetiously and sincerely prayed that prayer over the course of my lifetime, and, I assume many others have as well. Being patient doesn't come easily to everyone; those who have it in apparent abundance we often say have "the patience of a saint."

In sharp contrast to people's lack of patience is the patience of God. From the perspective of sinful human beings, God's patience is almost a curse. He promises to hear and answer our prayers, but He takes His own "good time" about it. There's the old plea of the reluctant and recalcitrant soul, "Be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet,” which seeks to be excused from one's bad behavior. In recent months, as we've discussed before, people have claimed that the forces of nature that have caused so many natural disasters over the past year are God's punishment for the sins of the nation - He's losing our patience with us. At the same time, on the basis of Scripture, we know that God often calls us to repentance through such events that wake us up to His power, His presence, and His will.

I heard a story once that, in my opinion, truly reflects what God's patience with human beings is all about. It reflects the impatience of sinful humanity and our inability to recognize that we're not in charge and can't manipulate God to our liking.

In the story, we see a man lying on a hill overlooking the ocean. The sun is high in the deep blue sky. An admixture of clouds, small wispy and fluffy, shape forming clouds, were scattered across the sky. The warmth of the sun was pleasant and there was a gentle breeze coming from the ocean. Birds were soaring through the air - seagulls, terns, pelicans, and song birds. The ocean was calm and the waves gently lapped at the beach, raising a small "slap, slap, slap," sound into the air. It was a perfect place and day for just relaxing and taking in the breathtaking beauty of God's creation (I would have been at the shore casting into the water - surf fishing - having no real patience for just lying still for long).

As he lazily and languidly took all this peaceful beauty in, the man closed his eyes and offered a prayer of thanks to God. He was filled with the wonder and majesty of God's creation laid out before him and he prayed, "God, as I lay here taking in the magnificent panorama of this place and Your creation I'm taken by how huge, how vast, and how beyond human comprehension Your work really is. As I lay here listening to the sounds of creation and watching it unfold before my eyes I've just got to ask You - from Your perspective, how long is a million years?

God answered, "Oh, about a minute."

"Hmmmmm," the man responded. "You know, that's really hard to fathom. Let me ask it another way. From Your perspective, Father, how much is a million dollars?

God answered, "Oh, about a penny."

"Hmmmmm...." the man pondered for a bit.

"Is there anything else, my dear child?" God asked.

"Yes, Father," the man replied. "Could You give me a penny?"

"I'd be happy to," God answered, "Just give me a minute."

To be sure, this little story takes a bit of liberty with Peter's words (v.8), but it does point out the difficulties human beings face in their relationships with God. We live in a world of the "15-second sound-bite," although there are some who say that it's rapidly reducing itself to "5-second sound-bites." In the United States' consumer culture, we are programmed to want what we want, when we want it, and we don't want to have to wait for it. As a result, on the spiritual end of things, it's not at all uncommon for people to turn to "religions" which give them immediate rewards and satisfaction. They don't want to wait for Jesus' second coming. They want what they want, now. They want to be secure in knowing that what they do will earn them their final reward (not realizing that final "reward" might be the "booby prize"). Instead of being grateful for God's patience with it, the world, in its sinful state, scoffs at the whole idea of a Judgment Day, denying the very existence of God. Even those who are of the household of faith, knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior from Sin, grow impatient with God's timing - we'd like to have God visit His wrath on all those bad unbelievers who cause problems for us in our lives.

Thank God He doesn't pay any attention to what our or the world's timetables might be. In His divine wisdom and love for us and the world, He continues to exercise His merciful patience so that people might have more opportunities to repent and believe the Gospel. Our Father in heaven, the Almighty God and Creator of the Universe, who has power and authority over everything that exists, is not "rushing to Judgment." He's allowing time for people to repent and for us, his beloved, redeemed, and forgiven children to experience more and more of His blessings, His wondrous acts in our daily lives, and the beauty of His creation. Moreover, His patience fills us with hope and empowers us to share His love with those who don't yet know Him or believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. What a marvelous blessing it is for us to be blessed by the patience of God - I don't know about you, but I'm really quite happy to wait for that "penny."

Prayer: Father, thanks for being so patent with this world of sinners, and especially me. Help me to appreciate the opportunities Your patience in coming in Judgment gives me to serve You and experience Your love even more each day. So fill me with Your patience that as I experience it in my life I might also exercise it in my dealings with others. Fill me with Your patience so that I might not lose my temper or my willingness to forgive others as You have forgiven me in Jesus. Give me the time and patience each day to read and meditate on Your Word, so that the power of Your Word and Spirit will guide me to diligently share Your love in Christ with others while there is still time. Hear my prayer, gracious and patient Father, for the sake of Jesus. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.

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