Day 34

Of God and of the Holy Trinity

Chapter 2, Paragraph 1.

“…most loving, gracious, merciful, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, the rewarder of them that diligently seek him,…”

Scripture Lookup

Exodus 34:6,7.

Hebrews 11:6.

Reflection

The way people drive gets on my nerves. “They should know better! What does he think he’s doing? I’m not a mind reader!” may or may not be heard when I’m behind the wheel, but it is what I think when on the road. I admit it: I get impatient with other people. I know I’m not alone in struggling with impatience. Ever wait in a long line at the grocery store? Or have a dawdling child? How about that annoying habit of your husband?

But God is long suffering. There is no impatience with a being outside of time and space. This patience is an attribute of a God who is also loving, gracious and merciful. Sometimes patience can be viewed as a weakness, like the kid who is pushed around by bullies and doesn’t stand up for himself. Yet God has no limits to His power, and this includes the power to restrain His wrath. Every sinful offense does not escape His notice, and He hates sin, yet still He is able and willing to forgive. This is a patience filled with strength.

Keeping this in mind, we should strive to be patient ourselves. This means checking my thoughts the next time I’m cut off on the highway. It means being ready to forgive others, and overlooking non-sinful offenses.  Not easy to do. In fact, it’s impossible on our own, so let’s ask our gracious God for the strength and ability only He can provide.

…to be patient is to be divine, and to show ourselves acquainted with the disposition of God. -Stephen Charnock

Questions to Consider

• What causes you to lose your patience?
• Are you trying to be patient in your own strength?