Romans 8:25 But if we
hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Patience is not a strong suit of our culture. We like things
at our fingertips instantly. When we were staying in Haiti, one of the biggest
changes for us, beyond food and weather and culture, was the internet speed!
Ridiculous, huh?! But true. The internet was so slow. It felt like dial-up from
1997. It didn’t cause us to love Haiti or it’s culture any less, but it was a
new lesson in patience. Everything got done slower, but it didn’t matter,
because goals were still met and it left time for relationships to develop. We
can still hear our children laughing with their Haitian friends about a silly
joke, waiting for some page to load on a screen. We created plans with the
Pastor, and learned of His joys and challenges in ministry, patiently waiting
for a document to download.
Anytime God brings up patience in Scripture, I get a little
impatient. But the things we wait for, really are worth the wait. The things of
God are beyond our wildest imagination. He offers us completeness and
restoration, which we experience in part, but wait for in its fullness. We wait
patiently, but in eagerness and the longing spoken of earlier in Romans 8. We
know in truth, through Hope that all will be fulfilled, just as He said.
This kingdom perspective changes the way we interact within
our families and our churches. We are growing together. Growing takes time and
patience. When people seem uninterested or uninvested in the work of God, we
can offer patience. Just as our children grow up, so does our marriage, and our
churches. Patience from the Spirit flows from us to our spouse and our children.
Relationships grow and flourish through perseverance. After all, we are all
waiting for something together.
Lord, grant us this patience, to wait on you. Help us to grow
in You and with one another as we study your Word and walk in your ways. In Jesus
name we pray. Amen.
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Waiting for supplies to be delivered is a good opportunity for some homeschool. :)
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