He Is Faithful to My Heart Part 5 - The Promise Fulfilled

 

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 12:13 

Life with God is one of hope.  Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In this definition of faith, we see faith as the substance of hope.  It is the undying conviction of an eager expectation we hold fast to. Our faith is in God Himself, and our hope is in Him who promises the revelation of His Christ and His kingdom. We hope in God to fulfill the promises He sets before us. He promises the earthly manifestation of the testimony of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He promises the imminent return of the Christ and our ultimate bodily resurrection and glorification. He promises the salvation of the earth and the nations therein. He promises the eternal increase of the government of God.  Indeed, there are many great promises within the word of God, and we, in hope, are sure of their future fulfillment. It is this hope that anchors us to His word and develops in us the faith to see these promises fulfilled.  

Just as we hope in the promise of the coming kingdom of Christ to be glorified in all the earth, we hope in promises that God gives us daily.  However it seems that our hope in these intimate promises falter more quickly than our hope in the promise of His manifestation in the earth. We are waiting patiently, yet eagerly, for the return of the Christ, and we are steadfast in this patience. But we often fumble the promises made directly to our hearts of the goodness our Heavenly Father desires to bestow upon us. We are unfaithful with them. Abraham held to the faith in the promise of God for a son of Sarah's womb.  He hoped in the Name of the LORD, and he was rewarded for patiently enduring.  We must learn to do the same if we are to obtain the reward of each intimate promise Abba gives.  Yes, they are often slow to come, but they always come on time.  There is much to be gained in practicing this patience, but much can be lost in the waiting if we fail to maintain our hope.  The beauty of the promises of God is in the process as well as the obtainment. Don’t miss this beauty in despair. Yes, hope deferred does make the heart grow sick, but even waiting can draw us into the beauty of His heart.  And, when the promise comes, life bursts forth within our own hearts.  We are given a double blessing in this: a glimpse of His glorious beauty and a tree of life abounding within us.  The process is important for this double portion blessing, and how wonderful it is to obtain the desire, but during the process, remember the faithfulness of God. Lean on Him; gaze on His beauty; know Him.  He is preparing you for the promise.  Do not lose hope and heart, but know that He is faithful in preparing your heart for the gift, just as He is faithful in bringing the gift.  He is your God and your Father who loves you and delights in giving you good gifts. Receive them with a heart of faith and hope, knowing that He is faithful to your heart both in making the promise and fulfilling it. 

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23

He Is Faithful to My Heart Part 4 - Building Patience

One prayer request that I hear from so many people is for patience. Whether it is patience in interacting with people, patience in working through a circumstance, or patience in waiting for the fulfillment of a promise, patience is a trait that we all need to get through life.  The blessing is that many of us know we need patience, but few of us know the degree to which we need it. I would argue that a foundational characteristic of life in Christ is patience. In fact, it is one of the fruits of the Spirit noted in Galatians 5:22, and it is the very first trait of love mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13.  In Strong’s Lexicon, the Greek word is the same in both verses, meaning: to suffer long, enduring and remaining steadfast and constant in bearing troubles without retaliating (Paraphrase). When explaining the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8, Jesus encourages us in patience, saying: “But the ones that fell on good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15, NKJV).  We must keep His word and bear fruit with patience. Strong’s Lexicon notes the Greek root of the word for patience in this verse to be to remain and abide, to be held, kept continually. 

The two Greek definitions mentioned above are for different but synonymous words. They both translate to patience in English, but in examining the root of both, we gain insight into the importance of developing patience for this age and the next.  We are commissioned to make disciples of nations. We can’t do that without love.  People can be rude and offensive. We are imperfect and broken. We hurt each other, we make mistakes, and we are often unreliable.  We need to suffer through these things with one another in patience, remaining both steadfast to the people God has placed in our lives and the vision of Christ for their lives and our own. As we our walking out God’s vision for our lives, we will come into situations that are less than pleasant. They are trying times with great purpose: to make us pure and holy vessels unto the LORD.  We are tried in the fire and we come out as gold. The purpose of the trials isn’t a secret. The purpose is written countless times in the Bible, but we often forget that there is a purpose in the midst of it.  To me, Paul puts it best in Romans 5:3, writing: “…but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (patience); perseverance (patience), character; and character, hope.”  Our trials and tribulations are building within us a patience that is developing us into the character of Christ and producing within us a hope in God’s love for us. God brings us to these places that we may know Him. He is faithful to allow the trials and to give us the grace to endure them patiently. We often do not know the benefit of the trial until it has passed, but there is always a benefit because He works all things out for our good.  He also is faithful in delaying His promises until the appointed time.  Where is the faithfulness in this, you may ask.  We too often expect the promise to be fulfilled immediately and are disappointed when it is delayed. The truth is that there is no delay at all, but only a perceived delay. When the promise is given, our Heavenly Father is aware of the time of its fulfillment. We, however, are not and grow impatient in the waiting.  The blessedness of the waiting is that it is producing much patience and building our character and giving us the traits needed to obtain the promise and be faithful with it.  He is faithful to develop our character and build patience in our hearts. 

Patience enables us to love each other and make disciples, fulfilling the commission of Christ. It enables us to endure tribulations and remain abiding in the LORD as we do so. It helps build our character that we may obtain the promises He gives for our lives. And finally, one of the great needs for patience is to receive the promise He has given to the world.  Our LORD will return, and His people have been waiting for millennia to see His return. Without patience, we would’ve given up hope long ago. But the hope that patience produces is also for the glory of His coming.  He will come for us, and we would lose hope and turn away from Him if not for patience. I am grateful that He is faithful to build in me the patience necessary to remain steadfast in Him as I eagerly await His return. 

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the LORD. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.  You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the LORD is at hand.”   (James 5:7-8, NKJV).