Impatient?

Are you getting impatient? You’ve been waiting for the call committee to get us a Senior Pastor for a couple of months now. Are you getting impatient? You have been waiting for your children to come around and begin joining you in church. Are you getting impatient? You have been waiting for the results from all of the medical tests. Are you getting impatient?

Patience

Patience is a virtue, something good we’re called to do. But as always, we’re called to do the hardest things. It’s very difficult to be patient in the wait for a Senior Pastor, especially for me, as I deal with the added responsibilities. I feel awful in my impatience; those people serving on the call committee have done a great job so far, and it certainly isn’t easy for them. We’re also at a point where it’s out of our hands and in the hands of our District President. It’s hard to be patient with this process.

Many parents have come to me, telling me about their family situation. They have a kid who used to be an active member, who graduated from Trinity’s school, who is now missing from our church. I tell them that it takes time and God never stops reaching out to them, but I doubt that helps any. It’s hard to be patient with this process.

It’s so difficult to be patient and wait. Yet we are called to patience. In I Corinthians 13 Paul describes love as patient. Paul again speaks in Ephesians 4 and calls people to walk in patience. And throughout scripture we see a constant and consistent call to be patient and wait. And to lead us in this example is our God. With the rebellious children of Israel, who constantly broke God’s law, who failed to keep the covenant, who forgot God and went after other gods, with these rebellious people God had patience. In His holy patience He keeps His promises and delivers to them a Savior.

Jesus was Patient

In Jesus we see more patience. He teaches the people in patience, heals in patience and He serves and loves in patience. But most importantly for us, when Jesus bears all sin, He does so in patience. He suffers a punishment not meant for Him, a death He did not deserve, and He does so bearing it in patience. And in that patient suffering of Jesus, we receive salvation.

So now comes another time of waiting, the time where we live now. Christ has ascended to rule on high, but we are waiting for His return. I’ll have to admit, I find it very hard to be patient and wait for Jesus.

When you know you have perfection coming, it’s hard to be patient. But again I encourage you to read the words of James 5, Colossians 3, and Hebrews 8 to be patient. God is at work. He is bringing us a Senior Pastor, is working to bring faith into the hearts of those who have gone astray and He is working to bring healing to people who are hurting. And as difficult as it is, be patient for the Lord.