Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.
You also, be patient. Establish your hearts,
for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:7-8 ESV
Patient... no one really likes to be patient these days...
that's why waiting is so hard...
but James tells us to patiently wait...
like a farmer... for his crops...
The farmer knows he waits for something precious...
it is his livelihood... his life...
The farmer invested time... energy... resources...
to prepare the ground...
plant the seed...
weed...
The farmer's waiting is filled with work...
not just watching...
not sitting twiddling thumbs...
or playing checkers on the front porch...
But yes... there is waiting...
Patiently waiting for the promised seed to sprout...
to poke up through the ground...
burst forth into life...
The plants sprout... but still there is more waiting...
for the precious fruit... the grain... the crops... the harvest...
Seeds don't sprout fruit...
they sprout plants which need to mature...
before they can grow fruit...
James tells us the waiting for Jesus is the same...
the ground has been prepared...
the seed planted...
the sprout bursting forth...
but it's not yet time for the harvest...
God prepared the ground of the earth...
ever since the Fall in Eden... He's been cultivating... the hearts of His people...
preparing them for the Seed...
Jesus came... did more preparation...
revealing the precious nature of the fruit...
Then the Seed was planted in the ground...
miraculously He sprouted up in three days...
and in these days of growth...
His people... His church... are maturing...
but it's not quite time for the full harvest...
This is where we wait patiently...
weeding...
keeping predators away...
doing the work of the farmer...
diligently... waiting and watching...
the seasons and times...
for the coming harvest...
And it will come...
And [Jesus] said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter
seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day,
and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.
The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe,
at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
Mark 4:26-29 ESV
Wait patiently...
watch the rains come and go...
doing their work...
Wait patiently...
work to weed out sin in your life...
Wait patiently...
bring light to a dark world...
love the unlovable...
deal with integrity when all others cheat...
respond with kindness... instead of offense...
reveal the precious nature of the coming fruit...
for the day of harvest is coming...
"The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom.
The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy
who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age,
the reapers are the angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and
burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out
of his kingdom all causes of sin and law-breakers, and throw them
into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. ..."
Matthew 13:37-43 ESV
And great will be the harvest...
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