A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (February 15, 2018)
That ye be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12)
The word patience appears 33 times in the New Testament. The Greek word used for patience in Hebrews 6:12 is makrothumia which means forebearance, fortitude, or longsuffering. Another Greek word that is used extensively in the New Testament for patience is hupomone which means hopeful endurance or patiently waiting.
Please note that faith and patience are partners in Hebrews 6:12. In other words, true faith is accompanied by patience. Correspondingly, a lack of faith is accompanied by impatience.
If you haven’t noticed lately, we live in a very impatient world. We want things done quickly. However, God does not work on our timetable. He is not a computer or cell phone that you can push a button and get immediate results. And just to be fair, and not blame all our impatience on modern technology, Old Testament men and women had challenges of their own in this area.
The story of Abraham and Sarah is a prime and very sad example of what happens when we are impatient and take things into our own hands. Sarah was barren and wanted a child so rather than waiting on the Lord she convinced her husband Abraham to have sexual relations with her Egyptian handmaid Hagar. The handmaid became pregnan. Listen to what an angel of the Lord declared about this child:
Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man (wild donkey); his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. (Genesis 16:11-12)
Ishmael and his mother Hagar were eventually cast out of Abraham’s home per Sarah’s request after Sarah gave birth to Isaac. This was very grievous to Abraham. What a sad mess, and it doesn’t stop there!!! We are still feeling the effects of this one. Ishmael is considered an important prophet and patriarch of Islam. Also remember what the angel had declared about Ishmael. His hand would be against every man, and every man’s hand would be against him. Does that sound familiar with what’s going on in the Middle East today?
Here’s the point. Faith in God and His Word requires patience. When we take things out of the hands of God, and start trying to solve the problem ourselves due to our impatience, we reap the whirlwind which can affect not only us but entire future generations. We don’t want to do that! Let’s be patient and wait on the Lord and while we are waiting on the Lord we can be a waiter (be a servant for the Lord).
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1)
