Friday 14th
James 5:7-12
NIV (v8) – ‘You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.’
ESV (v8) – ‘You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.’
This verse opens to us one of my favourite topics again, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is one thing for sure that if James could say nearly 2000 years ago ‘the Lord’s coming is near’ (NIV) or ‘the coming of the Lord is at hand’ (ESV) then today it must be even nearer! Jesus is coming again, Jesus will come again, but on James’ advice we need to be patient, we need to stand firm in our faith. Standing firm knowing that the promise of his coming is not in vain.
If there is something this pandemic has taught us it is the need to be patient! Especially me, as I am not particularly good at waiting in a queue, let alone a long queue, and I as well as probably many of you who will read this will also have had queue more times than we would like to, as we have gone perhaps to a supermarket or another store. We have had to be patient in waiting for some things to reopen, wait patiently to be able to do some of the things we had learned to enjoy, but cannot do at present, and perhaps the top area is having to wait patiently to be able to spend time again with family and friends.
There will be so much excitement within the hearts of family members who will finally be able to meet up with children or parents again, grandchildren or grandparents again, the same with friends, eagerly anticipating the moment when the restrictions are gone, full and unbroken contact, together again at last.
I wonder if we have the same excitement and anticipation for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the believers James had written to, they obviously were waiting with excitement and anticipation, for James had to tell them they would have to be patient, and we too need to be patient, he will come again, and it could so easily be during our lifetime here on earth, but if not then the next generation will also have to wait with patience. But we need to wait eagerly, our heats should be filled with excitement that one day and it could be soon we are going to see the one who gave his life for us, the one who was willing to bear our sin, and to bear the punishment for that sin so that we could be included in the family of God, so that we could spend eternity in his presence.
Life isn’t always easy, we will have our ups and downs, we will at times have to suffer for being a believer, we will be mocked or scoffed at, but it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. So be patient, stand firm, knowing that your hope is not in vain, the day will come, whether it be via the rapture or through the resurrection when we shall see him and we shall be like him.
Sometimes the day seems long,
Our trials hard to bear.
We´re tempted to complain,
to murmur and despair.
But Christ will soon appear
to catch his bride away!
All tears forever over
in God’s eternal day!
It will be worth it all
when we see Jesus!
Life’s trials will seem so small
when we see Christ.
One glimpse of his dear face,
all sorrow will erase.
So, bravely run the race
till we see Christ.
At times the sky seems dark,
with not a ray of light;
We’re tossed and driven on,
no human help in sight.
But there is One in heaven,
Who knows our deepest care;
Let Jesus solve your problems,
just go to him in prayer.
Life’s day will soon be o’re,
all storms forever past;
We’ll cross the great divide
to Glory, safe at last!
We’ll share the joys of heaven:
a harp, a home, a crown;
The tempter will be banished,
We’ll lay our burdens down.