Patience

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

‘Patience is a virtue,’ is an old proverb.  Patience often escapes us.  We think we have patience, and then some unexpected circumstance arises. Suddenly we are out of patience.  It is worthwhile to consider that in the opening lines of this section of Ephesians, Paul has literally begged them to, ‘walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.’ He dives straight into a discussion of virtues like humility, gentleness, and patience.  Of necessity, this must bring us very quickly to Christ.  In the life of Christ we see extraordinary examples of patience.  Christ was exceptionally patient with His disciples.  He would teach them, correct them, advise them and cultivate them with care.  He was patient with the multitudes who wandered about as sheep not having a shepherd.  He was remarkably patient with His enemies.  On numerous occasions, when he could have crushed them in a variety of ways, He bore patiently with their insults and calumny.  The greatest exhibition of His patience was His endurance of the treatment He received during His passion and execution.  These all serve as patterns for our consideration of the quality of patience which is so much related to walking worthy.

Our Loving and Patient God,
we rejoice that You bear with us so much and so long.
We praise You that daily,
You set before us the example of Christ our Savior,
Who shows us the perfect pattern of patience.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning