Wednesday October 27, 2010

"Journey Through James - Part 10"

James 5:7-12

Patience in Suffering

 ⁷Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. ⁹Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!  ¹⁰Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
 ¹²Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.

Have you ever really taken the time to think about what it will be like when Jesus comes back? Have you ever thought about what it will be like when we finally get to heaven? It's quite surreal to think about such things! The reality is, we have no idea what it's going to be like, but everything we have waited for and suffered for will be worth it at that moment. Have you ever waited a long time for something great to happen, and when it finally came, how did you feel? Now multiply that feeling by about a million! It's possible that we may die before Jesus comes back, but either way, we will be spending eternity with him in heaven...praise the Lord! The bible talks a lot about perseverance in the face of suffering. God rewards us for standing strong in the face of adversity. Here, he references Job and what God did for him after Job stood the test of suffering. (If you want to know more, check out the book of Job). Then God promises us that he is "full of compassion and mercy."
In the last verse, it talks about swearing. Have you ever said this: "I swear to God!" According to this, we should never do that! It's just not necessary. We just need to say either "yes" or "no."

Dear God, we are anxiously awaiting your return. Since we do not know the day or the hour, help us to be patient and to endure any suffering we might go through in the meantime. Help us to persevere. Thank you for your compassion and mercy Lord. We are so undeserving of any of it. We cannot imagine what it will be like to finally see your face for the first time, but we cannot wait for that moment. Thank you Lord for all that you do and all that you are. We love you. In your most holy and precious name, amen.

Lots of love,
Aubrey <><