January 10, 2024

James 5:7-11 (HCSB)
Waiting for the Lord
7 Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.  8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door! 10 Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. 11 See, we count as blessed those who have endured.  You have heard of Job’s endurance  and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Pastor HD Jones
Endurance is a scary word because it implies a difficult journey.  Anyone can live the “fairytale” life where the princess meets prince charming and they live happily ever after.  But what about the emotionally unstable woman that marries the lazy goof ball of a man?  Or what about what starts off without a hitch only to end up a WWE fight to the death match?  Life is fun but rarely easy.  There are so many blessings in this life but all of this world is marred by sin and apparently influenced greatly by Satan and his tactics to disrupt our relationships with God.  So, the child of God is secure in our relationship because of the blood of Jesus but our fellowship seems volatile.  This is where we learn from Job and the other saints… we are to endure the hardships while keeping our faith and hope in God. Habakkuk 3:17-19 says, 17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will triumph in Yahweh; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! 19 Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!