DAY 45 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

…AND WAITING

Galatians 5:22-23

The Bible lists the qualities that the Holy Spirit grows in us when we are under His tutelage: 

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Those are nine specific hallmarks that identify Christian behavior. 

Of all of those attributes love and patience are probably the least understood.  The love referred to is not the warm, fuzzy emotional kind of love.  It is a love that demonstrates care in spite of emotion, and reflects the ethic of commitment.  It is doing the right thing whether I feel like it or not.  Love as action – not love as feeling. 

And patience.  We often think patience is just being willing to wait when you want a faster response or resolution – but it is deeper than that.  It is patient forbearance.  It is putting up with.  It is endurance, not giving up.  It is waiting for God’s timing in the weighty matters of life.  It demonstrates our trust and acceptance of His divine plan.   And, like all of the other ‘Fruits’ listed we can’t achieve it without the Holy Spirit’s help. 

I was relieved when I learned that the kind of patience so often assumed was not the same as the patience listed in the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’….  If we assume it is normal ‘patience’ we just set ourselves up for perpetual consternation.  In reality, sometimes that sort of patience is not practical.  There are times when ‘waiting’ is not appropriate, and situations where courteous impatience is warranted.   (However, dealing with whatever the issue is in a positive way and exercising kindness reflects Christian character.)

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter – but also our teacher, and He will lead us into Righteousness in our behaviors if we let Him! 

DAY 44 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

PATIENCE & WAITING

Before I get into my blog for today I want to acknowledge that it is Memorial Day – a day we set aside annually to honor those who have died serving in the various branches of the Armed Services – those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend our country and the values we hold dear.

Freedom is not free. 

In our family line we have relatives who have lost their lives defending our country.  The price of freedom is very personal.  In memorial of those who have died serving, honor to all who have served and gratitude to those who are serving now…thank you! 

………………..

[2010 Blog post that is uncannily appropriate again and instructive to me right now in my life:]

The disciples were getting a graphic lesson on patience.  God didn’t install me with as much patience as I sometimes wish I had. However, when someone tells me they are praying for patience I remind them that’s a dangerous prayer. The way God teaches us any lesson is through opportunities to practice it. 

My lesson in learning that definitively was when God told me ‘we’ were going to work on my gentleness. When he told me that I thought, ‘Great. Now I am going to be like one of those sweet little ladies at church who just ooze gentle, caring love.’ 

Not!

Now – the absolute truth is: I love deeply and sincerely. I care. I have oodles of compassion. Gentleness – I’m still working on it….

God’s chosen method of teaching me gentleness was to throw me into situations where I had to practice it. Situations where I was treated abysmally unfairly – misunderstood, misjudged, maligned – and instead of reacting in ‘human’ nature to defend the assaults I had to learn to absorb them and pray for God to work in each situation. I spoke the truth – then had to let each go . . . even though unresolved. God gave me a promise that he would be my defender. In some cases I am still waiting. It’s his battle – not mine. 

Over and over I get to take to heart my Potato Masher Parable about not getting upset with a frog for being a frog. 

In the process of working on gentleness, which involves responding not reacting, I’ve also learned that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves. People can do some pretty awful things, say some pretty awful things – but we don’t have to be held hostage to their words or actions. When we forgive we release ourselves from being part of their issue. It is incredibly freeing. And – I can only do that through God’s grace. His grace is sufficient. Really, it is! And I have to trust that promise!

It isn’t always easy! Sometimes feelings of resentment for wrongs done against me try to creep in. I have to intentionally and carefully take those thoughts captive and submit them to God’s Word. He promised me that no weapon fashioned against me would stand. I stand on His promises, claiming them because His promises are true – knees shaking, lip quivering, soul determined. I put on my armor listed in Ephesians 6:10-18, and place my life in his hands. I want to trust him more and more. I’m still learning to do that. 


We never arrive at some pinnacle of perfection in this life where nothing ruffles us. But the thing about being an intentional Christian is that we keep learning, keep pressing on, keep growing. His Word is our sword – and our guidebook.

PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE 1

(These photos are 2 of the many I took this fall in Colorado. They represent a very minor example of patience and perseverance. I had to walk very slowly to get into position to take pictures, so I wouldn't spook them. When we first saw the mountain sheep - we were a long way off and completely behind them.)

It's actually a little amusing that just in writing a title I know this topic is going to be revisited - so I named today's entry appropriately before even beginning to write.

At the beginning of January I started reading Genesis. It's been awhile since I read Genesis from beginning to end, and I thought that was a good way to start this year. I love Genesis - "In the beginning GOD...." That succinctly spells out what matters most to me. I don't care how long it took, just that God did it.

After reading for several days in Genesis, I changed course. In preparation for my impending trip to Israel I decided to re-read Isaiah. It hasn't been too long since I read through Isaiah - but I'm reading it more deeply this time - and with purpose because of the journey I will soon be on.

I read Isaiah 7 yesterday - - and went back to it again today to do some cross-referencing and to dig deeper. Isaiah is exciting to read - and I am very excited by what I am paying attention to today!

Ahaz was a direct descendant of David. David had been promised that his kingdom would never end - because the promised Messiah would come through his lineage. Yet, here we have one of his descendants trying to manipulate leaders for his purposes - and then shaking in his boots with fear when two other armies determined to come against him, destroy him and place someone else on the throne (who wasn't from David's line.)

Through Isaiah, God tells Ahaz not to fear - that their schemes will not come to pass - and that within 65 years, those who are threatening Ahaz won't even be a people any longer. Wow!

And then, out of this confrontation between Isaiah and Ahaz, God defines HIS plan:

"...the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14). Isaiah goes on to tell of disaster that will plague his chosen people...which all came true.

But, what grips me is that this specific prophecy of the virgin bearing a son was made about 735 years before it came true. That's a long time to wait.

What I need to pay close personal attention to here involves patience, perseverance, faithfulness - and faith. God will do what He says He will do. I don't have to know how He will accomplish it. I just have to place complete trust in Him - and trust His timing. My role is to partner with Him as He leads, not attempt to give Him advice about how and when He should accomplish His work!

He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He will accomplish His purpose - in His time. Lord, Your will be done.