Talk About Patience!
by Pamela Blattner
"But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life."
by Pamela Blattner
"But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life."
1 Timothy 1:16 (NLB)
Today, I was reading about a bamboo farmer. Yes, a bamboo farmer. Chinese bamboo farmers first plant seeds, then water, and then fertilize them. The whole first year, nothing happens. The second year, they continue to water and fertilize the seeds, and still nothing happens. The farmers continue the third and fourth years with no visual results. Then, in the fifth year, in a period of about six weeks, the Chinese bamboo grows ninety feet. Can you stand it? 90 feet! Five whole years! What patience!Now I don't know about you, but I like to see results. I like to watch my plants grow on the patio and I'm afraid that I might forget to fertilize and water after a few months and no results…much less years! If they don’t give me the results I’m looking for, I usually go to the local Ben Franklin’s for the best look-alike silk plants I can buy!
Do you think God ever feels this way about us? The constant work, as well as the fact that He never gives up, is amazing to me. What patience!
I think about the way we parent our children. Many times, you plant seeds of character, pull the weeds of discipline, almost daily water your children in prayers, and fertilize with encouragement…for years. What patience!
I have several “sisters” in my life presently who have had patience with me in my Christian walk. Thank goodness that we have people in our daily lives who plant, weed, water and fertilize us! Without them, we are prone to sometimes let our gardens go wild, aren't we? What patience!
I am grateful we have Jesus, the ultimate Master Gardener tending to our souls. God is just like that Chinese bamboo farmer: He continues to work on us, sometimes with no visual results for a long time! Oh, what patience…and what a way He shows He loves us so dearly!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Who has blessed you by being patient with you? Have you told him or her?
2. In what ways has God been patient with you? Who can you tell?
FURTHER READING:
James 5:7; Romans 12:12
Pam and her husband Richard have two adult children and two grandchildren. She serves Oakwood through its Family Care and Touched Twice Ministries.
