Prophet’s Reading Plan: Isaiah 32-35
And the fruit of the Spirit is… patience…
James 5:8 (ESV) You also, be patient. Establish your hearts,
for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Patience
is better translated as longsuffering – patient endurance. Like all of the
fruits of the Spirit, it is a fruit that we find in the life of Jesus. Death is
imminent for all of us, but Jesus was born to die, yet He did not treat it as a
looming threat and He did not rush to get it over with. When He first began to
do miracles, He asked those He healed to keep their healing a secret, for His
time had not yet come. He didn’t speed down the road to death because He knew
there was much to accomplish between the now and the then. There was prophecy
to be fulfilled and people to disciple who would later carry the gospel out to
all nations. And because of His patient endurance, He was not swayed by fear.
Scripture tells us that when the crowds attempted to stone Him, Jesus “hid
Himself” and slipped away, and when they sought to arrest Him He “escaped from
their hands.” Nothing could steal Him from the will of the Father.
And
Jesus still waits patiently, though today He wears a crown of glory, not a
crown of thorns. He waits for His return when He will come on a white horse
with eyes flaming as fire, ready to judge the nations. He waits patiently,
giving just enough time for the most people possible to turn their hearts
towards Him.
James
tells us to be patient, too. We are to set our hearts firmly on the sovereignty
of God, trusting His perfect timing, though we cannot see what is to come.
Whatever you are waiting for, be patient; God often has much to accomplish in
and through us while we wait.
PRAYER &
MEDITATION
1. What are you waiting for from God? Is there a response or
some guidance or a revelation you want from Him? Perhaps, like in Jesus’ case,
God has much for you to accomplish between now and then. Ask Him what He wants
from you in the waiting.
2. What can you learn from the patience of Christ? How can
His life transform yours for this day?
3. Think about the verse above. Meditate on it and wrestle
through what it means and how the Holy Spirit wants to speak to you personally
through it.
