Be Still Devotional: Day 34

Devotion for Thursday March 27
Ben Hays | West U Baptist Campus Pastor

Scripture
James 5:7-8
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 the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Devotional Thought
Waiting. That’s an uncomfortable word for most of us. Several unfavorable circumstances come to mind such as waiting in line at the DMV, waiting on hold for the next available customer service agent, waiting on the weather to cool down after a long Houston summer. The list goes on. We don’t like to wait. Yet, that is exactly what Scripture calls us to.

The Bible uses the word wait 133 times in the ESV translation. So, waiting is something that the believer is going to have to come to grips with. The analogy James gives us is helpful. He calls to mind the image of a farmer patiently waiting for his crops to produce.

I’ve seen and experienced firsthand the patience of a farmer because my grandfather was one. (I spent many a hot summer day loading watermelons into the back of a pickup truck in East Texas!) But here’s the thing about how the farmer waits—he doesn’t wait idly! No farmer plants his seed and then sits around in the shade for months doing nothing while waiting. Rather, the farmer diligently works. He plows, weeds, fertilizes, irrigates, and does pest control. There is an active faithfulness in the present while waiting for the final harvest in the future. This is what James encourages believers to do.

While waiting on Christ’s return, we do not do so with leisure and lethargy, but we faithfully serve Him and grow His Kingdom while we wait. Keep praying, keep volunteering, keep fellowshipping, and keep gathering as we wait for the Blessed Hope!

Reflection Questions

• When do you find it hardest to wait? What might God be teaching you in those moments?
• What can you do today to demonstrate faithfulness while you wait for a desired outcome in the future?

Suggested prayer/action step
Practice waiting in tangible ways this week. Drive the speed limit. Choose the longest checkout line at the grocery store. Don’t multitask while on hold on the phone. And while waiting, talk to God!