Patience My Children
Read: Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11, Luke 1:46b-55
Isaiah 35:4 CEB Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”
Are you a patient person? Well, I am sometimes and sometimes not, just ask my wife. For me it depends on the situation and other factors that surround my life at a given moment.
Recently we purchased a new mattress set but had to arrange for the delivery with a local service. When we first spoke with service, they were booked up for the week but could deliver the items the next week; I just needed to call back. I was patient with the delay. Well, I did call back, and we worked out a day for the pickup and delivery which was a Saturday. So, on that Saturday we received a call from the delivery service that the merchant was not yet open, but they would wait. After an hour the merchant had not opened, and the delivery service’s patience was running thin as well as mine. Just as he began to drive off, the merchant’s doors opened and the transaction was complete; our delivery took place but following some impatience.
As I read the passages for this week of Advent, the theme of patience kept appearing. I thought of the Israelites walking through the desert for 40 years. Their patience was put to a test, but by listening to Moses they reached their goal. In the passage from Isaiah the prophet speaks of one to come, to show the glory of the Lord, that those afflicted will be healed, and they would be saved. Several hundreds of years before Isaiah, the Psalmist had also written to this as well, and the Israelites were patient.
The birth of the Messiah Christ Jesus was the answer many were waiting for to occur and many followed his call when he began his ministry.
Today we have the privilege of seeing what Jesus can bring to all who believe and wait. Our salvation from sin, the healing of the sick, justice for the oppressed and mercy. But we too still need to be patient for Christ will come again!!
Prayer
O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist, through all such faithful ones you proclaim the unfolding of future joy and renewed life. Strengthen our hearts to believe your advent promise that one day we will walk in the holy way of Christ, where sorrow and sighing will be no more and the journey of God’s people will be joy. Amen.
Prayer “Reprinted from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts”
Fred Herr
Isaiah 35:4 CEB Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”
Are you a patient person? Well, I am sometimes and sometimes not, just ask my wife. For me it depends on the situation and other factors that surround my life at a given moment.
Recently we purchased a new mattress set but had to arrange for the delivery with a local service. When we first spoke with service, they were booked up for the week but could deliver the items the next week; I just needed to call back. I was patient with the delay. Well, I did call back, and we worked out a day for the pickup and delivery which was a Saturday. So, on that Saturday we received a call from the delivery service that the merchant was not yet open, but they would wait. After an hour the merchant had not opened, and the delivery service’s patience was running thin as well as mine. Just as he began to drive off, the merchant’s doors opened and the transaction was complete; our delivery took place but following some impatience.
As I read the passages for this week of Advent, the theme of patience kept appearing. I thought of the Israelites walking through the desert for 40 years. Their patience was put to a test, but by listening to Moses they reached their goal. In the passage from Isaiah the prophet speaks of one to come, to show the glory of the Lord, that those afflicted will be healed, and they would be saved. Several hundreds of years before Isaiah, the Psalmist had also written to this as well, and the Israelites were patient.
The birth of the Messiah Christ Jesus was the answer many were waiting for to occur and many followed his call when he began his ministry.
Today we have the privilege of seeing what Jesus can bring to all who believe and wait. Our salvation from sin, the healing of the sick, justice for the oppressed and mercy. But we too still need to be patient for Christ will come again!!
Prayer
O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist, through all such faithful ones you proclaim the unfolding of future joy and renewed life. Strengthen our hearts to believe your advent promise that one day we will walk in the holy way of Christ, where sorrow and sighing will be no more and the journey of God’s people will be joy. Amen.
Prayer “Reprinted from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts”
Fred Herr
No comments:
Post a Comment