"Let's Be Actively Patient"

My guest blogger this week is Dr. Joseph Tkach, president of Grace Communion International.  He writes about our working with Jesus and being patient while we wait for outcomes. Let's let him explain:
Let's be "actively patient'"

Plants and People Grow

It's planting season in our part of Colorado, but even if you start seeds indoors under lights, it's a slow process. If you've ever gardened with children, you've seen them put

Bearing Fruit For a Long Time

A Chinese proverb asks "What's the best time to plant a tree?" The answer is "Twenty years ago!" Trees are symbols of stability and strength (Psa. 92:12), long life and contributing to one's surroundings (Psalm 1). Jesus uses a grapevine in John 15 to

Jesus Is on Time

I'm enrolled in a Master's program, and I'm behind in my class work.  Last semester was supposed to be over around the first of December, but I didn't finish the papers I was to write, and now I'm having to do those papers plus all the other stuff I'm supposed to be doing now.  I may procrastinate, but God is never late.  His timing is always "just right."

We Christians have been hoping for the full, visible establishment of Jesus' kingdom for almost 2,000 years now.  His disciples thought it would be right away after his resurrection:  “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6), but Jesus ascended to heaven instead.  Hundreds of people over the centuries have calculated or guessed at the date of his return, and they've all been wrong, (including the ones on television who move the date forward every time the last one passes.)  In Springs of Grace, and Living Grace Christian Fellowship, we'll get to hear a sermon  this weekend, going over some of the detail in Matthew 24 that I think will help with some of those concerns. 

The pressing question is, since we're still here, what we do while we're still here?   One thing we don't want to do is forget that God is with us, and Jesus is continuing to work out his will through us, individually and as his Body, the Church universal.  He encourages us in Matt. 24:45-46, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward."  Our job is to continue doing whatever part of that work God has given each of us to do.  

The warning Jesus gives next, in Mat. 24:48-50 is the reverse:  "But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected" (and this guy is not rewarded).  Why is the master's "return" unexpected?  Because that servant focuses on physical pleasures instead of the joy of serving his master faithfully.  We don't want to make the same mistake.  

We have plenty of distractions in this life, but serving our Lord brings the most joy of all.  And when Jesus appears -- at just the right time -- the reward of having served faithfully will be worth the wait.  He's already promised us that.  What exactly has God given you to do?  Whatever it is, today is a good day to be doing it!

Jesus' Temptations: Patience

Continuing to look at the temptations of Jesus in Luke 4, we see the second temptation as Luke recorded it was an offer from Satan for all the kingdoms of the world, if Jesus would worship him.  At first, that sounds a little hollow -- didn't Satan know who he was talking to?  That would be like trying to offer Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, a chance to throw the ball around a little with the Rockies if he would resign his position. C'mon, are you serious?  But apparently the devil was.  “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please.  I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

Jesus didn't dispute Satan's claim to rulership of the world, but he didn't agree either.  He didn't try to argue about who was in charge, or even assert his divine authority (as the Son of God) over Satan.  He simply bypassed the claim and responded by quoting Deut. 6:16 “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” 


Jesus had perfect faith in the Father.  His loyalty was not wishy-washy.  He kept his focus on his mission, relying completely on the Father's plan.  Luke records the risen Lord saying in 24:26 “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?”  He knew that his calling required his death, and there was no shortcut.  And by rejecting Satan in all these temptations, he responded as the perfect human, the obedient second Adam (Rom. 5:12-19).  

So what lessons could we gain from this temptation?  First, of course, to have faith in God.  (Our faith isn't perfect, of course; it wavers and is stronger some days than others.  But Jesus' faith was perfect, and we can trust in the Father through him; we don't have to worry if we will succeed, since we know he succeeded!) Second, to be patient, which means knowing we are with Jesus on a journey of faith leading to maturity -- it can't be hurried but has to be taken one step at a time.  And maybe, for the Bonus Round, recognizing that Jesus wasn't worried about being in charge, so maybe we shouldn't either.  

Are you being tempted, or feeling impatient?  Maybe it's time to stop and reflect on the perfect response of Jesus:  to worship and serve only God, and rest secure in the knowledge that God has the future worked out. 

God's Faithful Deliverance

I just noticed a parallel, brought out to me by a commentary, on two passages in the Book of Moses:
Gen. 8:1, 14 -- and God remembered Noah...and sent a wind...and the waters receded...and the ground was dry.
Ex. 2:24 -- and God remembered His covenant... 14:21 and sent a strong east wind and drove back the sea... 14:22 and the Israelites went through on dry ground.

In both stories, God "remembered" and "sent a wind" and the waters were pushed back and "dry ground" appeared for the people to walk on. Now, isn't that interesting...the same sequence (even though, in Exodus it's separated in time) of remembering -- taking note of and deciding it's time to act -- sending a wind, and the dry ground appearing for the people to walk on.

There are other places where God "remembers" or takes special note of something, and then takes action, sometimes an action that requires time and a sequence to complete; for instance, Gen. 30:22, where God 'remembered' Rachel, took note of her need and acted.

But in these two cases, the sequence includes a drying wind. Now, for Israel on the seashore, the strong wind was probably unpleasant -- the sand getting in their eyes, and perhaps in their food. Noah and the family may have had a bit of a rougher ride once that wind started. (I wonder if seasick elephants throw up?) But the wind came as an agent of God, and the good result came later. In both cases, He used the wind instead of just waving His hand or something.

Just a thought -- if a dry wind of distress or pain is blowing in your life right now, it could be in preparation for a greater miracle. If God has taken away something, perhaps it's so He can give you something else. That's how it's happened in my life, a dozen times that I can think of. As James 1:2-4 says, about trials:
"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

May God give you the strength and patience, from His store of grace, to ride out the wind of pain or loss or worry, whatever you're going through, so His greater miracle can become evident in you. And may you walk free, on dry ground.

Distractions

The Lovely Joanne has a cat that lives with us. As cats go, I suppose, Mimi is a wonderful beast, not too big, and only leaves hair lying around when she's shedding. And isn't quite as noisy as a dog. Except at 5 AM when she decides it's getting light outside (no, dear, that's only the street light) and that I should be awake too. And she misses her mother. Terribly. I know this because she tells me about it. Sometimes at 5 AM.

What's wrong, I ask myself at those times, with getting a little sleep? And why do I have to be dragged out of peaceful dreamland by such a racket?

We can get distracted just the same in other parts of life, when our old habits, sins and weaknesses come along and whack us on the back of the head again.

The writer of Hebrews, in chapter 12, encouraged his readers (that would be us, now) this way: "Do you see what all this means -- all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running -- and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in." (the Message).

To be fruitful in Christian life, in this endurance race I'm in, I have to push away the sins, doubts, fears, weaknesses and other problems, and follow Jesus as he focused on his Father's will. It's a choice I make -- to ignore distractions and keep my eyes on the goal. It's a choice to believe that life in God's path is better than all the distractions around me.

How are you dealing with the distractions in your life? Can you decide today, to push some aside?