God’s amazing patience

When I read or hear of people injuring people, it makes me want to punish them. Is this a tiny taste, a very tiny taste of God's emotions toward injustice and sin? And what about my own sin? The many times I’ve ignored His will to do my own?

Adam was punished for one sin, Moses excluded from Canaan for a his unbelieving words. Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives for one sin against the Holy Spirit. One sin ruined the beauty of the world, defaced the works of God, and separated humanity from our Creator.

How many contradictions against Himself has God experienced? Is not the greatest miracle His patience with our/my sinfulness? Sins of ignorance. Deliberate or careless sin. Neglecting to do what I know I should do. Numerous, constant, unloving, not listening. O admirable patience! He bears with many sins of humanity, but does not bear with sinning angels for one sin.

He warns those who hear His Word: “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:3–4)

The patience of God makes me ask the same questions as the NT writer: “What is man, that you are mindful of him” yet the answer is quickly given in the Son of man who was “made for a little while lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” (Hebrews 2) This Son is Jesus, God in human flesh…

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:14–18)

And because of Him, God is patient with me. He bore all that sin and set me free from its penalty. To this, the NT warns to hang in there, to respond to Him and live out the truth of what He has done:

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. . . . For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:12–19)

They failed because of a lack of faith. Since faith comes by hearing, how important to be hearing the Word of God. 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:6–12)

Charnock offers this incredible thought: “And there is good reason to think that the patience exercised towards some, before converting grace was ordered to seize upon them, will bear a great part in the anthems of heaven.”

Yet even here and now, I can rejoice in the same way Paul expressed: “I received mercy for this reason, that in me… Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:16–17)

PRAY: Again today You startle me and leave me shaking with both conviction and joy. Yes, my sins are a numerous as eye blinks, yet Your patience led You to the cross to die for each one — because You love me. I am overwhelmed at this, not only about my messy life, but about Your incredible patience, a mercy given not only before I knew You but that You patiently keep working to rid me of my persistent old nature that keeps forgetting that it is dead and acts as if I do not belong to You.