Day 13 - Relating in Patience

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage for the coming of the Lord is near.”
​James 5: 7-8

​Meditate or Reflect
I have a memory from my youth: there was a Nestle Chocolate Quik commercial with a Bunny mascot who tried and tried to resist the temptation of chocolate milk with the proverb, “patience is a virtue.”  Poor bunny didn’t last too long, but he tried.  Just last year, New Balance released a commercial with the tagline, “impatience is a virtue.” We have seemed to turn this virtue, patience, upside down. Patience is a struggle for most of us, and, unfortunately, it seems that impatience is taking the lead. In the verse for today we learn that patience is like waiting for a harvest to ripen: it takes some time, and it is the result of great care and nurturing along the way. If we are impatient, the harvest will not yield its best results. Specifically, this verse reminds us to not lose sight of what we are daily waiting for – the return of Christ. Take a breath and think of areas in your life where you are being patient or impatient. Are there any situations or relationships that are testing your patience? Reflect on the great patience of God who waits for you, so that none might perish. Recall to your mind the many ways God has been patient with you.