James 5:7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
A basic belief of Christianity is that Jesus will come again and this present evil age will end. Many people scoff at this claim. The sad part is that many Christians live as if this is only a theory or something far into the future. Jesus’ second coming moves from the forefront of our thinking into the back of our minds and we hardly think about it until something big happens in the world, and then we begin to think about it again. James challenges us to be patient. Being patient in this regard will require that we trust in God’s promises in all ways, not just a few of the promises. God has provided a lot of help for us for living a quiet, peaceful, and victorious life. That does not mean will will not face troubles and persecutions. The world will bring many trials in our lives. James is returning to some of the opening ideas of his letter in chapter one. While we await Jesus, we will face many challenging times. How do we hold up to these challenges? It will require patience and reliance upon God’s grace. Farmers are good examples of patience. It takes two to three months at least for a crop to come to the point of fruit or harvest. What does a farmer do during this time? He or she will be active in fixing equipment, pulling weeds, and preparing for the harvest. We too much be busy doing the Lord’s work while we wait for His return.
For older posts, click here.