James 5:7-10 – Patience in Suffering

In the late winter several years ago, my husband, impatient with the cold and desiring to garden, began growing seedlings under UV lights in our basement. Hidden from view and unbeknownst to others, he doted on those plants with scientific precision, trimming and watering those infant greens with tender care.

While restless for the moment he could bring those small vines out into the spring warmth, he knew they needed to first prepare for the outside elements— water, light, and wind. He’d take a small fan, and with alarming speed its blades would beat those tiny leaves with air, strengthening the stems of the seedlings in preparation for the season’s storms.

When those small vegetables were finally received in the soil, they were ready in the way only a well-cared for plant could be, their roots gripping powerfully to the earth and their leaves reaching high to the sun.

Holy Spirit, it can be easy to welcome a child with love and open arms. We know that Jesus walked on this earth to promise and give so much more than a holiday with gifts. As we open our own doors and gates this season, may our eyes be wide open to the fullness of what Jesus promises and to whom—giving us a vision of the fullness of life. Amen.

James 5:7-10 – Patience in Suffering

⁷Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. ⁹ Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.