"Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." — James 5:8
"Life is not fair," someone said. And how true that can be! Injustice is endemic in this fallen human race. Too often, it seems, bad people prosper and the righteous come up short. Even the Psalmist said, "… I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked… Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches [Ps. 73:3,12]."
Such a conclusion is, of course, the result of walking by sight, and not by faith; it is a complaint rising out of the short view, as to both time and scope. Subsequently the psalmist remarks, "When I thought to know (i.e., to understand) it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end [Ps. 73:16-17]."
Probably most of us have had occasions of perplexity when trying to make sense out of some of life's circumstances. James, in the context preceding our verse, has been marking the injustices suffered by the working poor at the hands of their wealthy superiors. Turning f rom his indictment of the rich landholders, he seeks to encourage their victims, and in the process offers a threefold counsel that every believer will do well to take to heart.
His first injunction is simply, "be patient." that is, bear up. Patience, here, is stedfastness under pressure. When the going gets tough, and especially if the time is long, the temptation for many is to give up. The word from God is, bear up. As on of my bible institute profs used to say, "Keep on keeping on." In similar vein, the writer to the Hebrews remarks, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise [Heb. 10:35,36]."
In addition James counsels, "stablish your hearts." That is, firm up. When the prophet Elijah had become exhausted and depressed because of the oppression of the wicked Jezebel, he fled into the wilderness and prayed that he might die. "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God [I Kings 19:5-8]." Nourished by the Angel of Jehovah (Christ), he was strengthened for the long road which lay before him. God calls us not merely to endure, but to be reinforced for the journey of faith in an alien world. That reinforcement comes through fellowship with—feeding upon—the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him [John 6:56]." We "establish our hearts" through fellowship with Him, feeding upon Him, deriving our strength from Him. "It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein [Heb. 13:9]." In this "present evil world," if we are to persevere in the pursuit of the will of God, we must be "nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine [I Tim. 4:6b]," and we will neglect the word of God to our peril.
Finally the apostle encourages, "The coming of the Lord draweth night." That is a reminder to the beleaguered Christian to look up. The Savior said, "If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again… " Throughout his life the believer is to pursue his journey "looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith." He is coming again, and when He comes, He will rectify all wrongs and reward all those who have been faithful to Him.
The story is told of a painting, hanging in a gallery, that was mystifying to the viewers, who could make no sense of it. One day the artist was in the audience, who when he saw the perplexity of the crowd, stepped up to the painting and with his brush placed a single red dot on the painting and said, "look there." When the observers focused on the red dot, suddenly everything became clear and the painting could be understood. Jesus is coming again. His return should be our focal point and that will bring order to our otherwise chaotic view of life.
"Bear up," "firm up," "look up." — for your redemption draweth nigh.
"When He comes, our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we'll sing: Hallelujah, what a Savior!"
For HIS praise and our perseverance,
"Pastor" Frasier
"Life is not fair," someone said. And how true that can be! Injustice is endemic in this fallen human race. Too often, it seems, bad people prosper and the righteous come up short. Even the Psalmist said, "… I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked… Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches [Ps. 73:3,12]."
Such a conclusion is, of course, the result of walking by sight, and not by faith; it is a complaint rising out of the short view, as to both time and scope. Subsequently the psalmist remarks, "When I thought to know (i.e., to understand) it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end [Ps. 73:16-17]."
Probably most of us have had occasions of perplexity when trying to make sense out of some of life's circumstances. James, in the context preceding our verse, has been marking the injustices suffered by the working poor at the hands of their wealthy superiors. Turning f rom his indictment of the rich landholders, he seeks to encourage their victims, and in the process offers a threefold counsel that every believer will do well to take to heart.
His first injunction is simply, "be patient." that is, bear up. Patience, here, is stedfastness under pressure. When the going gets tough, and especially if the time is long, the temptation for many is to give up. The word from God is, bear up. As on of my bible institute profs used to say, "Keep on keeping on." In similar vein, the writer to the Hebrews remarks, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise [Heb. 10:35,36]."
In addition James counsels, "stablish your hearts." That is, firm up. When the prophet Elijah had become exhausted and depressed because of the oppression of the wicked Jezebel, he fled into the wilderness and prayed that he might die. "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God [I Kings 19:5-8]." Nourished by the Angel of Jehovah (Christ), he was strengthened for the long road which lay before him. God calls us not merely to endure, but to be reinforced for the journey of faith in an alien world. That reinforcement comes through fellowship with—feeding upon—the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him [John 6:56]." We "establish our hearts" through fellowship with Him, feeding upon Him, deriving our strength from Him. "It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein [Heb. 13:9]." In this "present evil world," if we are to persevere in the pursuit of the will of God, we must be "nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine [I Tim. 4:6b]," and we will neglect the word of God to our peril.
Finally the apostle encourages, "The coming of the Lord draweth night." That is a reminder to the beleaguered Christian to look up. The Savior said, "If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again… " Throughout his life the believer is to pursue his journey "looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith." He is coming again, and when He comes, He will rectify all wrongs and reward all those who have been faithful to Him.
The story is told of a painting, hanging in a gallery, that was mystifying to the viewers, who could make no sense of it. One day the artist was in the audience, who when he saw the perplexity of the crowd, stepped up to the painting and with his brush placed a single red dot on the painting and said, "look there." When the observers focused on the red dot, suddenly everything became clear and the painting could be understood. Jesus is coming again. His return should be our focal point and that will bring order to our otherwise chaotic view of life.
"Bear up," "firm up," "look up." — for your redemption draweth nigh.
"When He comes, our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we'll sing: Hallelujah, what a Savior!"
For HIS praise and our perseverance,
"Pastor" Frasier
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