[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Friday, October 11, 2013

[Paul]

Hello once again to most of you.  Hope your day is going well, about to begin or about to end, by God's matchless grace and His providential care.

Several days ago I received in my postal mailbox the latest issue of "Torch Times," one of the publications available in Braille, large print and DAISY format, published by the Torch Trust of Market Harborough on the south coast of the uK.  In this issue there was an article by William Jackman, past president of an organization in Britain called the Proclamation Trust.  His article is entitled "Notes to Growing Christians," originally published in a print publication called "Evangelicals Now," for July 2013.  However, before I give you this article, a word of explanation is in order.  He refers to the Guy Fawkes family celebration.  Mr. Fawkes hatched something called the "Gunpowder Plot" back in 1605 wherein he wanted to blow up the Parliament building.  It was in November, I think.  And now with that out of the way, here is his article, rendered as follows:

I remember the instructions on many a firework from family Guy Fawkes nights:  "Light the blue touch-paper and retire immediately".

Short fuses can be dangerous and closeness to explosives is always hazardous.  I have sometimes thought that there are Christians who should carry similar "health and safety" warnings, "Danger--High explosives!" But the fruit of the Spirit we are considering in this article is the exact opposite--it is "patience", often translated "long-suffering".

Manifestations of Love

The nine evidences of the life of the Holy Spirit, within the Christian, are listed for us in Galatians 5:22-23.  Each of them should be seen as a manifestation of love, which is the first and greatest fruit of the Spirit, and that is because God Himself is love.  The first three in Paul's list deal with our relationship with God (love, joy, peace), but the next group of three focus more on our relationships with others, and long-suffering is the first example.

In its origin, the word becomes the prolonged restraint of anger, so that is tends to have a passive meaning, with the emphasis on not reacting to provocation.  So, from the earliest days of God's dealings with Israel, this quality is God's frequent reaction towards their sin and disobedience.  We might describe this as God's forbearance and Psalm 103 provides us with its classic exposition.  "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger (long-suffering) and abounding in love ... He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities" (vv. 8-10).  This patience of God does not, of course, lighten the seriousness of sin, or its eventual and inevitable punishment.  Rather, God's restraint is to afford time for repentance and resolution of the conflict.

Abraham and Job

Two Old Testament characters who exemplify such patience are specifically held up as examples to New Testament believers.  Abraham waited patiently to receive what God had promised and we must imitate his active and expectant faith, if we are to receive our promised blessings, too (Hebrews 6:12).

Job is the other long-sufferer, steadfast in faith, refusing to curse God, even in the face of extreme provocation at Satan's hands (James 5:11).  Here the word's emphasis is subjective, on personal experience, challenging us to wait actively in patient perseverance for the promised return of the Lord Jesus, whatever longsuffering the interim may require.

Don't Keep Score

But it is the parable of Jesus in Matthew 18:21-35 which provides the clearest indication of what this fruit should look like.  Asked "How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me"?, Jesus replies, "Seventy times seven", indicating that you do not keep the score.  The story of the unmerciful servant follows.  A king forgave his servant an immense debt which he could never begin to repay, in response to his plea, "Be patient (long-suffering) with me".  The debt is canceled; but the servant then demands, with menaces, the repayment of a trifling sum he is owed by one of his fellows.  The plea is made in exactly the same words, but the request is rejected and the unfortunate debtor is thrown into prison.  The message is clear.  Because God is patient and long-suffering in canceling our immeasurable debt, which we could never repay, we are to be patient and forbearing with each other.  This is the greatness of God's mercy, and He looks for it to be replicated in the dealings of His people with one another, as He lives within us to empower us, by His Spirit.  "Love is patient", as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:4.

Long-suffering, then, is an essential characteristic of Christian discipleship, motivated by God's infinite patience towards us and enabled by the Holy Spirit within.  It is not an optional extra for honors candidates; it is the normal Christian life.  At the very heart of this life-style attitude lies a love for others, which is prepared to put myself in their shoes, remembering that, for Jesus, his identification with us meant the self-giving of His incarnation and ultimately His death in our place upon the cross.  Should we not have mercy on one another, just as the Master has upon us?

Put It In God's Hands

So, whenever the fuse is lit, make sure that it is a long one providing opportunity for it to be extinguished long before the explosion wrecks everything.  Better still, don't let it be ignited.  When tempted to be unforgiving, retaliatory or angry, I must remember where I would be if God had dealt with me like that.  I must put the situation into God's hands and send up a telegram prayer for the Spirit's power and enabling.  I must ask God to love my opponent through me, as they taste the fruit of the Spirit which is long-suffering.

And there you have Brother David's article which I trust was a blessing to all my readers.

Tomorrow, in honor of Columbus Day here in the U.S. (Yes, I know that our federal holiday is on Monday), the article will be one on Columbus himself, written by the noted Christian author Chauncey Depewe, which I hope will also be of interest to you.  All of this predicated upon God's will.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul