April 5, 2012

James 5:7-11 NASB
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

Personal Challenge...
Patience...that thing that we always want in others but that we don't want to cultivate in ourselves. At least not me anyway. As we approach the final stretch of Lent I am reminded that this is not only a season of developing discipline, but that it is also a season of learning and exercising patience. Easter is such a wonderful reminder of both what Christ has done for us, but also a foretaste of what He will be doing when He comes again. Why not practice Lent while leading up to the Easter celebration as a reminder of what we are looking forward to? Yes, we can make it legalistic or a rule to follow, but can we not do that with everything in our lives.? I have seen it as a period of anxiously waiting, waiting in the absence of the physical presence of Christ (in the Orthodox tradition the gospels are not even read during the daily readings of this season to remind us of what the world would be like without Christ), waiting for His glorious return, anticipating the joy that comes in the morning...the morning when we find that the tomb is empty.