Bishop Keith Butler
Oct 17, 2023
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
(James 5:7 NIV)
In Bible days, most of the people were engaged in agriculture. So, James used a powerful metaphor that everyone in his time understood: a farmer. Although most of us today don’t live on a farm or know many people who do farm professionally, I want you to take a moment to think about a farmer's journey. He sows the seeds, tills the soil, and then waits. He doesn't rush the process, understanding that growth takes time.
James is letting Christians know God is a great farmer who has planted the seeds for everything He wants to accomplish in our lives. We must wait patiently, knowing that His timing for the latter rain is perfect.
See, God does everything in seasons. For the first 4000 years of man on earth, God the Father was the only part of the Godhead that was really talked about. However, we know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were there, even in Genesis at the creation of the world. God was a grand farmer, planning what was needed for Him to get us out of sin slavery. Once Jesus came down, and the Word was placed in the earth, Satan could not extract it. Jesus was on the earth then for 33 years and changed everything, leading the way for the ministry of the Holy Spirit. For the last 2000 years, the Holy Spirit has been leading the way in the church.
In the Bible, the number seven is the number of completion. So, our earth has about a 7,000-year lifespan; with 6,000 years before the millennial age. We’ve already been through 4000-something years and 2000-something years. We are coming up to the time of the end. We are almost at the end of the 6,000. Are we looking for Him every day? This is the heart of patient anticipation. Living with watchful hearts means aligning our lives with the expectation of Christ's return. It means living each day with purpose, ready to meet our Savior.
Understanding that time is short, we must share the truth of Christ's return with others. Encourage fellow believers to maintain their anticipation and invite those who haven't yet accepted Christ to do so.