HeartWord – Psalm 40:1
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.”
Begin with a Smile
“I stay up late every night and realize every morning that it was a bad idea.”
Daily Devotional
Psalm 37:7-8
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they
carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and
turn from wrath; do not fret–it leads only to evil.”
Be Patient
In any Bible class ask people to define patience and they will struggle. Ultimately someone will say that patience is being able to wait for what one wants. Patience includes that but is certainly more than that. A man doing time in prison is able to wait till his release date. He has no other choice. Patience is more than waiting.
Psalms 37:7-8 gives us a much better definition of patience. Patience means to “Be still before the Lord.” There is no anxiety but rather a calm waiting for God to do his work. It means that you do not fret when things do not work immediately like you want. It means to keep your spirit and “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath.”
Patience is not just being able to wait, but to wait with the right spirit. I love the old Jewish legend of Abraham and patience. According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man’s feet and gave him food and drink. The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, “Don’t you worship God?”
The old traveler replied, “I only worship fire. I reverence no other god.”
Hearing this, Abraham became angry, grabbed the old man, and threw him out of his tent and into the cold night air. When the old man departed, God called to Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, “I threw him out because he did not worship you.”
God answered, “I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?”
Abraham would have done well to remember the old word of wisdom, “When you’re tempted to lose patience with someone, think how patient God has been with you all the time.”
Be patient with someone today!
Lonnie Davis
Bible Question
When God made clothes for Adam and Eve, what kind of material did he use?
Today’s Bible Chapter
is Job 5. To read it click H E R E.
Answer to the Bible Question:
God made them garments out of animal skins to cover their bodies. (Gen 3:21)
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