The Patience of God get_app
“Patience is a virtue” is a common expression that I’m sure you have heard before. With the coronavirus situation we find ourselves in, we have to practice it a LOT in order to make it day to day.
- In fact, what is something you have a hard time being patient about?(name as many things as you want – I’m sure there are PLENTY of choices! sentiment_satisfied_alt)
With God, however, we see the perfection of patience. He is patient with us, and we are ever thankful that He is. While we will never be as patient as He is, we can see today what His patience looks like.
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- What does “slow to anger” mean to you?
Stephen Charnock, the Puritan, says this about that verse (
“It differs from mercy in the formal consideration of the object–mercy respects the creature as miserable, patience respects the creature as criminal; mercy pities him in his misery, and patience bears with the sin which engendered the misery, and is giving birth to more.”
- How does it make you feel that God’s patience will not only bear with the sin you’ve already done, but will continue even in the future?
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- What would happen to us if God wasn’t patient with us?
- Why, then, does He continue to show His patience for us?
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- Based on God’s time frame, how long do you think God will be patient with us?
- Why would He choose to be this patient with people?
God loves us so much that He’s willing to wait as long as possible so that we will know Him and follow Him with our lives. This brings Him glory and shows us just how much He loves us. Let’s remember to practice patience with each other as God does for us.
Family practice - the next time one of you becomes overly impatient with
another one of you, take a minute and read
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Close your time of family worship in a time of prayer using the following prayer from The Valley of Vision:
A Neophyte’s Devotion
"Provocations against thy divine majesty have filled my whole life. My offenses have been countless and aggravated. Conscience has rebuked me, friends have admonished me, the examples of others have reproached me, thy rod has chastised me, thy kindness allured me. Thou hast seen and abhorred all my sins and couldst easily and justly have punished me, yet thou hast spared me, been gracious to me, given me thy help, invited me to thy table. Lord, I thankfully obey thy call, accept of thy goodness, acquiesce in thy gospel appointments. I believe that Jesus thy Son has plenteous redemption; I apply to him for his benefits, give up my mind implicitly to his instructions, trust and glory in his sacrifice, revere and love his authority, pray that his grace may reign in my life. I will not love a world that crucified him, neither cherish nor endure the sin that put him to grief, nor suffer him to be wounded by others. At the cross that relieves my conscience let me learn lessons of self-denial, forgiveness and submission, feel motives to obedience, find resources for all needs of the divine life. Then let me be what I profess, do as well as teach, live as well as hear religion. "