March 7, 2022 … Waiting Patiently

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 66 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Lincoln Brewster singing … While I Wait …  poignantly singing of how we, who believe in Christ’s return, must be willing to actively, but patiently, wait for Him.    

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Highlight Passage: … James 5:7-8 [NLT] …   

7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. 

… James uses a farmer waiting on his harvest, exhorting Cristians to wait patiently on Christ’s return.                

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … James 5:7-12 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… James exhorts fellow oppressed Christians to wait patiently on the promised return of Christ as s farmer awaits the harvest time, actively attending the crops.                                         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 3:5-6  [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Solomon, promises to ALWAYS be there to guide any believer who is totally surrendered to wait on and follow our Lord. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 40:31  [NLT] …   

31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint. 

… God, thru Isaiah, promises to give strength to those who trust and wait faithfully on God.

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Lamentations 3:25  [NLT] …   

25 The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, … to those who search for Him.  

… God, thru Jeremiah to oppressed believers, His promise to ge good to those who patiently seek and wait for the Lord.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 2Peter 3:9  [NLT] …  

9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 

… Peter helps frustrated and oppressed Christians to realize why God seems so long in His promise to return for His Bride (i.e., the Church).         

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Marvin Williams, … AT THIS LINK … tells of recent research in this digital age, showing that internet users become extremely frustrated and anxious when download speeds get sluggish when downloading information which is important to the user.          

Imagine how frustrated 1st century (and now current) Christians can get in waiting for the promised return of Christ.  It’s been over 2000 years now since Christ’s resurrection and ascension back to heaven; and yet, His promise of return remains.  And the Scriptures above help early Christians, and prayerfully us too, to continue to wait patiently for our Lord’s return.

But as the half-brother of Jesus, James, wrote in God’s word (see highlight passage), we are to be like a farmer, who has planted his crop and now waits patiently for the harvest.  But the farmer doesn’t just sit (as in the photo) as he waits.  He actively tends the crops, watering, weeding, … but waiting.  And that should be our process of waiting for Christ’s return.  

And my waiting process is to actively get closer to my Lord thru His word as I wait for Him.  That’s why I’m here each morning sharing that waiting process with you.   How, my friend, are you waiting on Jesus to return to claim us as His Bride?   No matter how; … I pray we wait actively, … yet patiently … because HE WILL RETURN!!            

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for Your promise to return for me.  I believe it; and I patiently wait - again today - for Your return.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to trust in You, Lord, for Your promise to return … maybe even today!!     Amen 

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.