The Patience Of Christ

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

Ephesians 4:2

When we speak of patience what do we mean?  Patience is the willingness to continue to work with someone or something until they become better than what they were.  How did Christ demonstrate patience?  Perhaps the most outstanding example of the patience which Christ demonstrated was with His disciples.  Spiritually, the disciples were like a pack of pups, all enthusiasm and immaturity.  They would argue amongst themselves about who was going to be the greatest.  They would rebuke people for doing miracles in the name of Christ without being part of their group.  They would talk about calling down fire on some village that did not receive them.  Christ was very patient to work with them in spite of the fact that they spent a good portion of time running around bumping into things.  He did not give up on them, but continued to patiently correct and teach them until they became more thoroughly conformed to His image.  Christ is patient with us as well.  By His example of patience He teaches us how to be patient.  We have a long way to go, but we may look to Christ daily as our example of patience so that we may learn to do as He does.

Our Kind and Patient God,
we rejoice that You have set Christ before us
as our Great Example.
We praise You, that daily, we see Him in Your Word,
and can learn from Him how to follow in His steps.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning