In Need of a Longer Fuse

532.  "In Need of a Longer Fuse"                 June 1, 2012
James 5-Part 2
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.  James 5:8


LET IT GLOW

James tells us twice to be patient, in verses 7 and 8 and patience twice in verses 7 and 10. Why are we to be patient? The Lord Jesus is coming again.

Patient means to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles.
Stablish means to strengthen, make firm, to render constant, confirm, one's mind. (Thayer's Lexicon)

What does James mean by "be patient" and wait for the coming of the Lord?

William Bake, in his book James and First and Second Peter explains:

Be patient in Greek, makrathumeo, means enduring a trial or experience for a very long time, as long as it takes to do so without panicking. Some have used the illlustration of a very long fuse. Another similar word, hupomeno, occurs twice in verse 11, which means endured and endurance. It connotes remaining under a threat without moving or confidence in God's care. Believers are to allow the hope of Christ's intervening return to condition their attitude toward all of life's unexpected and unpleasant events.

 

An illustration that James uses is the farmer who plows, plants, waits for rains, and patiently waits for the harvest of his crops. In a semi-desert land, they greatly depend upon the rains.

The farmer labors because he believes a day of reaping will be enjoyed. Christians likewise should view current trials and hardships as a preparation process that helps conform them to the image of Christ. (Falwell)

 

Believers are to be patient in the work they have been assigned. The waiting time comes when no work can be done, and greater faith and patience is required. Although the church has been waiting 2,000 years for Christ's return, we believe it could happen at any moment and is near.

 

Am I patiently waiting for Christ's return?

 

 

LET IT GROW

 

One summer, when our son was in junior high, we visited my parents around the fourth of July. He and his cousin liked to shoot off fireworks, so they bought some. I recall a particular night when they were setting off bottle rockets and firecrackers in the dirt road as we watched the display. Our son lite one, which did not go off. He waited patiently, for a couple of minutes, but it didn't do anything. Of course, he had to go check it out. As he bent over it, the thing's long fuse finally reached the explosive and it went off. Thank the Lord he didn't get seriously injured, only a small burn on the eyebrow. I thought of that event as I realize I need a long fuse when it comes to patience. Mine is too short. 

 

In this chapter, James gives us four commands, two positive and two negative:

1. Be patient. Patient people are not short-tempered but have a long fuse. It is love's response. In 1 Corinthians 13:4, love is patient, suffereth long. Love can motivate a person to overlook an offense, delay an anger, and suffer long. Patience is essential to learning. The back-breaking work for Mr. Jewish Farmer, whose rock-tossing chores seemed never to end. You just can't hurry God's plan. In verse 7a, James is speaking not only of the Second Coming, but also of the Lord's coming to our rescue in times when we've been wronged. We are to be patient, just as the farmer paatiently waits for God to bring rain.
2. Strengthen your heart. The idea is to prop up or support something that's heavy. When you've been done wrong, your heart is heavy. So James says to let the Lord support your heart and help you in this situation. The "50:20 principle," helps us strengthen our heart by changing our focus. (Genesis 50:20) Joseph told his brothers, after all he endured, and as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.... God is our teacher and others can be a tool for making us into what He intended us to be.
3. Do not complain. It means to groan or sigh. Job wasn't patient, but he never lost his faith in God (19:25). Can I come out with stronger faith on the other side of a trial?
4. Do not swear. Verse 12 uses the Greek word which means to grasp something sacred frimly, for the purpose of supporting what you're saying or doing. Christians should not use swearing or oaths, but truth. Are my words pleasing to the Lord Jesus?

[Resource: James, Practical and Authentic Living by Charles Swindoll]

Which of these do I need to practice?

LET IT GO

Stand firm in my beliefs.

Patiently wait for Christ's return.

Don't complain or swear.

Let patience have a long fuse.

Love, love, love.