Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Flexing a little Patience Muscle

These past several months have really tested my patience in ways I never new, at depths I didn't think were possible, for an amount of time that our constitution deems "cruel and unusual." Thankfully, today I stand before you speaking with more confidence and purpose than I had 5 months ago. It was not a change that I made, rather it was the life that God has chosen for me. I read a little bit of Genesis again today, mainly the part with Noah. Now there is a man with patience! Read Gen. 8: 6-16.
"6 After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

13 By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.

15 Then God said to Noah, 16 "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives"

I am sure that we have all heard this, read this or at least know a little bit about this story. But think a little harder about it. If you were Noah and that bird came back with an olive leaf, how tempted would you be to jump the gun, get out of that stinky, stuffy boat and stretch out those sea legs of yours!! Hello sun!!! Seriously, I would have been ready to run a marathon! The patience that this man, Noah, had was unbelievable. He didn't think twice about staying. No where does is say anything about him ever asking if it was time to leave! He just sat, PATIENTLY, until God spoke to him the words, "Come out...."

Now think about this.....
Give your life to God. Let Him control the different aspects of your life that you cling to so dearly. Live in the Word that is spoken to you through Him. Some things in your life will test your patience, but believe me, God will give you what you need. If it His will, it will be done! So, get out of His way and let our Lord, our Savior, reign down on us with the glory and power of His love. Just remember that he will answer our of our needs according to His perfect plan.

Philippians 4:19
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Believe in Him. Let Him live in you. Walk in His word and in His way. Love through Christ the way He loves you! I pray that God blesses you wherever you are today. Wherever you are in your life. Whether you are with God or if you have turned your back on Him because of whatever reason. I pray that you see the light that has been lit for you. Not today when you looked, but before you were born, in that moment where you became a thought. When God picked up the dust and breathed life into it. From that moment, your light has shined. This light has no wick, it cannot burn out. No one can blow it out. It burns forever with fury, with purpose, with passion. It burns with beauty of perfection. Now go, shine your light where there is darkness. Let it shine, let it shine!
Amen

1 comment:

Unknown said...

David, you're a really good writer! Pretty good stuff.