Waiting Requires Patience
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:7-8
James had just finished rebuking the wealthy for their rejection of God and their dependence upon their money. He then turned his attention toward the believers who had been persecuted and oppressed by the rich folks who cheated and robbed them. They longed for relief from the hardships and disappointments of life. While living the Christian life is the best life that one can live, it is not an easy life. There are many pains, problems, and persecutions that one must endure because we live in a sin-cursed world under the thumb of the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), Satan himself. While he cannot claim the soul of those who are born again in Christ, he can tempt, irritate, aggravate, and trouble believers, particularly those who are walking at a guilty distance. Even though Satan cannot count believers among his followers, he can cause a loss of fellowship between the disobedient believer and the Lord. His influence can damage a believer’s witness.
James understood how difficult it was for his believing readers to wait patiently for the Lord to come and relieve them of the pressures of the world to conform to its evil ways. We are not to be “of the world”, but we have to live in it with all of its mockery, false accusations, persecutions, and misery by those who reject the Lord. James used the analogy of a farmer to illustrate patience. Once he plants the seed, he has to wait for the crop to sprout, grow, and mature. However, while he is waiting, he can pray for sufficient rainfall, he can fertilize, weed, and watch for pests that could destroy his crop. He cannot plant the seed, then ignore the fields until harvest if he desires a successful crop. Thus, as we wait for the Lord’s return, there is plenty of work to do to expand His kingdom. All believers have talents, gifts, and skills to utilize while we wait. The best way to pass the time is to stay busy, and that is true for most of the time that we have to spend waiting.
James also urged his readers to be determined, to be intentional as they serve the Lord, knowing that He is returning. In the book, “For This He Came” by Bill Crowder, the author gave a clue as to why God doesn’t give us specific timetables. He wrote that if Jesus had told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come upon them in ten days, as was God’s plan, then the disciples would have “goofed off”, that is, gone about their business for nine days, and then got serious on the tenth. And that is human nature, to put off things when we can. We are to be resolved to honor and obey the Lord, be faithful and genuine in our service to the Lord without wavering, complaining, or doubting in spite of suffering and hardships.
It has been close to 2,000 years since Jesus ascended back to His Father in heaven. More than 50 generations have come and gone since that time, and He has not yet returned. However all of those who died in the Lord have already received the promise of His coming. They have already passed from the hardships of this sin-cursed world into the presence of Christ. Thus when James stated that the coming of the Lord drew nigh, it was certainly true for those of his generation. Many of them likely died within a few years of his writings. Whether Jesus returns during or after my lifetime, it won’t be many years before I receive His promise: “…that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3b). One thing is certain: with each day that passes, Jesus’ return is one day closer.