Anticipate The Lord’s Coming

 

James instructs us in James 5:7-8, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

 

Life is filled with waiting. Have you ever been waiting on God’s answers to a situation, and grown weary? Have you ever wondered what God is doing during your wait in the waiting room of life? Maybe you’ve been waiting for your financial situation to turn around. For your prodigal child to return. For your spouse to see the error in their ways. Or, for your physical healing to come. Have you been praying the same prayer and wondered why God hasn’t answered or delivered you from your trial?

 

James’s reference to the early and late rains shows just how long farmers had to patiently wait. The early rains in Palestine arrive at the time of the fall planting season (October and November), the late rains just before harvesttime (March and April).

 

Applying the analogy to his readers, James exhorts us to be patient too. Just as a farmer waits patiently through