| Unlimited Patience |
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1:15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; 1:16 but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 1:17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. I have been meditating on these verses for nearly a week now and I keep coming back to this one thought: that Jesus is displaying his perfect patience in me. In the NIV, which I am memorizing from it says "unlimited patience". Even though I have received Jesus' mercy, it still requires perfect or unlimited patience from Him in dealing with me. This is because I have so many areas of life to bring under his lordship. Just when I think I have given over my life totally in submission to Christ, one of my children does something and I learn I have anger issues that I haven't fully brought under Christ's control. Or my wife plans something that I don't want to do and I am reminded again of the selfishness that haunts me. Or someone says something complimentary towards me and pride rears its ugly head. Or I have something go wrong and disillusionment creeps in. Or . . .
I am very thankful for Christ's Perfect (unlimited) patience, because even though I know the things I should do and even though I want to do those things with a part of me, I do the things that I shouldn't do even hating myself as I do them. And Christ's patience keeps him with me in this constant struggle. As I have meditated on this, I have been thinking about my own patience. Perfect and/or unlimited are not adjectives that I would use to describe it. Guess there is another area where Christ and I have some work to do!
Jesus, Thank you for your unlimited patience in me. It seems as though I fail you and disappoint you continually. And yet here you stay. Prodding. Encouraging. Disciplining. Loving. Strengthening. I cling to your promise that you will never leave me nor forsake me and I ask that you help me to speed up the process of being transformed into your image. Your Child, Steve |
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