CHRISTCHURCH
  • Home
  • What to Expect
  • Worship
  • Audio
  • Who We Are
  • What We Did
  • Groups
  • Missions
    • Local >
      • ABBA
      • Bible Society
      • Greater Portland Christian School
      • The Root Cellar
      • Way of Life Mission
    • Blueberry Mountain
    • Camp Squanto
    • Regional >
      • Science with a Mission
    • International >
      • Colombia
      • Congo: PCPartnership
      • Economic Development
      • Europe
      • Operation Christmas Child
  • Giving
  • Contact

Worship

Waiting....

3/18/2016

 
    Wait for the LORD;
        be strong and take heart 
        and wait for the LORD. 
(Psalms 27:14)

Waiting is difficult! We wait for water to boil, for the traffic light to turn green, for the line at the Drive Up window to clear out so we can get our fries. All those are easy, however, compared to the long “wait" involved in developing any aspect of Christian character. 

That water takes a certain amount of time to boil is a matter the physical properties of the universe. That patience (a virtue) takes time to learn is a matter of the properties of the nonphysical universe. More intense heat boils the water faster, but intensity does not produce patience. Patience comes through applying our effort in a more effective way.  

Our primary task in learning patience is not in gritting our teeth, but in shaping our emotions. Our emotions are dependent on what and how we think. Over time we can change our emotions by changing what we are thinking about. If we are impatient as a listener, it may be because we do not respect the person speaking, or think that what we have to do is more important than this particular conversation. Patience in this instance comes from changing how we think about this person or situation — for example, by deciding to treat them with respect, not waiting for them to earn your respect.

There’s another level to patience deeper than our current conversation or circumstance: our part in The Story. It makes all the difference if we understand and put our hope in what God says he is doing with this world. 

The Story? God began the world by creating a garden in which he could be with Adam and Eve; Jesus lived among us full of grace and truth; God sent the Spirit to be in us and among us; and, God will one day remake the world so that those who trust him can be with him in a beautiful New Heaven and New Earth. That’s The Story God is writing, the story into which he has written us. 

Having The Story as the context for our conversations changes how we think about other players in The Story. We must assume that there are no bit players, even and including the slightly irritating person you are valiantly trying to listen to. Valuing the person allows better listening, and better listening means better loving. The second commandment from Jesus is, of course, "love your neighbor as yourself”.

But all this takes time — this developing character and becoming mature. Again, no one becomes a saint overnight. 

There are many things that have not yet been put right by our Lord, and so we must wait on his timing, trusting he will not only improve you and me, but one day make all things right.

    Wait for the LORD;
        be strong and take heart 
        and wait for the LORD. 
(Psalms 27:14)

It will be worth it!

Comments are closed.

    Pastor Mark

    Pastor Mark loves his wife and grown children, the Word of God, and words. And coffee, chocolate chip cookies, Apple products, small video projects, and the New England Patriots.

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Anxiety
    Care
    Christ
    Confession
    Confidence
    Deceit
    Desire
    Discipleship
    Evil
    Faith
    Follow
    Gather
    Generosity
    God
    Grace
    Gratitude
    Heart
    Hope
    Joy
    Lent
    Love
    Mind
    Patience
    Peace
    Practical
    Pray
    Remember
    Repent
    Righteous
    Sin
    Solitude
    Soul
    Suffering
    Sunday
    Wisdom
    Worship

    RSS Feed

Home • What to Expect • Worship • Audio • Who We Are • What We Did • Groups • Missions • Giving • Contact
Christchurch • 1900 Congress Street • Portland, Maine 04102 • 207-775-1900 • christchurchportland@gmail.com
  • Home
  • What to Expect
  • Worship
  • Audio
  • Who We Are
  • What We Did
  • Groups
  • Missions
    • Local >
      • ABBA
      • Bible Society
      • Greater Portland Christian School
      • The Root Cellar
      • Way of Life Mission
    • Blueberry Mountain
    • Camp Squanto
    • Regional >
      • Science with a Mission
    • International >
      • Colombia
      • Congo: PCPartnership
      • Economic Development
      • Europe
      • Operation Christmas Child
  • Giving
  • Contact