James 5:7-8

James 5:7-8

Dive Deeper

FOS Slider
Slide

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near."

James 5:7-8

FOS- BTS
Slide

One year my wife and I bought some spice and vegetable plants from a local greenhouse. The greenhouse operators told us that in Alaska, you need to gradually introduce them to the outside conditions because they are used to nice warm greenhouse temperatures and have to acclimate to cooler outdoor temperatures.

Slide

On day one, I set them outside for one hour and then brought them inside. On day two, I set them outside for two hours and then brought them inside. I became impatient on day three and just went ahead and planted them outdoors. Unfortunately, the plants were not ready to be outside all the time so most of them died.

Slide

My impatience got the better of me. I could feel my farmer ancestors looking down on me and shaking their heads. Patience is hard for a lot of us. Today’s verses teach us to be patient just like farmers, good ones, wait for rains and the maturing of their crops.

Slide

James, the younger brother of Jesus, wrote today’s verses. James was an influential leader in the early Christian church in Jerusalem. He penned this letter to Jewish Christians scattered in cities around the Roman Empire to encourage them and highlight some important parts of the Christian walk. These early believers endured a lot of trials including persecution for their faith. James urged them to stand firm and patiently endure the sufferings of this world until Christ returns. Patience is a key part of our life with Christ.

FOS- MIR
Slide

Farmers have a lot to teach us about patience. They plant crops, weed them, and water them. They have actions to take but they must rely on God to turn the seeds into full grown plants. So much can go wrong with a crop. Despite all the irrigation, pest control, and other agricultural techniques, the farmer must ultimately rely on God’s providence to produce successful results.

Slide

Like farmers, we too must rely on God to cultivate patience in our lives. We have actions to take including reading the Scripture, praying, and worshipping. Patience, however, is a fruit of the Spirit. God must cultivate this fruit in our life just as he turns the seed the farmer planted into plants.

Slide

The seeds that farmers plant do not mature overnight. It takes weeks and sometimes months until a crop is ready for harvest. Farmers see droughts whither their plants, pests eat them to the ground, and animals stomp them into the dirt. Yet they patiently endure and persevere until they harvest the crop. The sweetness of a strawberry or the juiciness of a tomato signifies the success of the farmer and justifies the trust he had when he planted that seed.

Slide

It is hard to be patient when we hurt and suffer. We want God to take the pain away as soon as possible. We cry out and ask why should we be patient? God grows us just like he grows plants. He often uses the suffering we endure to grow us and mature us which means becoming more and more like Jesus. God uses the trials of our life to form us and make us useful for His kingdom.

Slide

With patience, we can endure the rudeness of a neighbor, the trails of an illness, and the grief of a loved one’s passing. This Spirit-produced fruit in our lives comes from our trust in God our Father. This trust will be rewarded because one day, we will see Jesus face to face. Our suffering will be at an end, and we will live with God forever. Just like a farmer’s patience is rewarded with a bumper crop we will be rewarded with this new life.

Slide

This is the great hope that we have. The patience produced in us by the Spirit shines out for others to see. They will wonder where we get this patience, and we can point them to Jesus. A seed turning into a plant is an everyday miracle and it glorifies God. The patience God cultivates in our life is another everyday miracle and it enables us to persevere.

FOS- EIP
Slide

Father, let the truth of your love soak into my soul. Let your Spirit cultivate patience in my life so that I can reflect your love out to others and glorify your name. Thank you for all the riches and fruit you give my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

previous arrow
next arrow

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” 

James 5:7-8

Behind the Scenes

One year my wife and I bought some spice and vegetable plants from a local greenhouse.   The greenhouse operators told us that in Alaska, you need to gradually introduce them to the outside conditions because they are used to nice warm greenhouse temperatures and have to acclimate to cooler outdoor temperatures.    

On day one, I set them outside for one hour and then brought them inside.  On day two, I set them outside for two hours and then brought them inside.   I became impatient on day three and just went ahead and planted them outdoors.   Unfortunately, the plants were not ready to be outside all the time so most of them died.   

My impatience got the better of me.  I could feel my farmer ancestors looking down on me and shaking their heads.   Patience is hard for a lot of us.  Today’s verses teach us to be patient just like farmers, good ones, wait for rains and the maturing of their crops.   

James, the younger brother of Jesus, wrote today’s verses.  James was an influential leader in the early Christian church in Jerusalem.  He penned this letter to Jewish Christians scattered in cities around the Roman Empire to encourage them and highlight some important parts of the Christian walk.  These early believers endured a lot of trials including persecution for their faith.  James urged them to stand firm and patiently endure the sufferings of this world until Christ returns.  Patience is a key part of our life with Christ.   

Make it Real

Farmers have a lot to teach us about patience.  They plant crops, weed them, and water them.  They have actions to take but they must rely on God to turn the seeds into full grown plants.  So much can go wrong with a crop.  Despite all the irrigation, pest control, and other agricultural techniques, the farmer must ultimately rely on God’s providence to produce successful results.  

Like farmers, we too must rely on God to cultivate patience in our lives.  We have actions to take including reading the Scripture, praying, and worshipping.  Patience, however, is a fruit of the Spirit.  God must cultivate this fruit in our life just as he turns the seed the farmer planted into plants.   

The seeds that farmers plant do not mature overnight.  It takes weeks and sometimes months until a crop is ready for harvest.  Farmers see droughts whither their plants, pests eat them to the ground, and animals stomp them into the dirt.   Yet they patiently endure and persevere until they harvest the crop.  The sweetness of a strawberry or the juiciness of a tomato signifies the success of the farmer and justifies the trust he had when he planted that seed.   

It is hard to be patient when we hurt and suffer.  We want God to take the pain away as soon as possible.  We cry out and ask why should we be patient?  God grows us just like he grows plants.   He often uses the suffering we endure to grow us and mature us which means becoming more and more like Jesus.   God uses the trials of our life to form us and make us useful for His kingdom.    

With patience, we can endure the rudeness of a neighbor, the trails of an illness, and the grief of a loved one’s passing.  This Spirit-produced fruit in our lives comes from our trust in God our Father.  This trust will be rewarded because one day, we will see Jesus face to face.  Our suffering will be at an end, and we will live with God forever.  Just like a farmer’s patience is rewarded with a bumper crop we will be rewarded with this new life.   

This is the great hope that we have.   The patience produced in us by the Spirit shines out for others to see.  They will wonder where we get this patience, and we can point them to Jesus.  A seed turning into a plant is an everyday miracle and it glorifies God.   The patience God cultivates in our life is another everyday miracle and it enables us to persevere.   

Johnny Spence

Johnny Spence

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Father, let the truth of your love soak into my soul.  Let your Spirit cultivate patience in my life so that I can reflect your love out to others and glorify your name.   Thank you for all the riches and fruit you give my life.  In Jesus name, Amen.   

Tagged