Your Daily Devotional for December 28, 2006

 

December 28, 2006

 

 

A Patient Witness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

 

Luke 2:25-32

 

The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What's the trouble, Mr. Brooks?" he asked. "The trouble is that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't!" Haven't we felt the same way many times?

Some of the greatest missionaries in history devotedly spread the seed of God's Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the fruit of their efforts. William Carey, for example, labored seven years before the first Hindu was brought to Christ in Burma, and Adoniram Judson toiled seven years before his faithful preaching was rewarded. In western Africa, it was fourteen years before one convert was received into the Christian church. In New Zealand, it took nine years; and in Tahiti, it was sixteen years before the first harvest of souls began.

Thomas A. Kempis described that kind of patience in these words: "He deserves not the name of patient who is only willing to suffer as much as he thinks proper, and for whom he pleases. The truly patient man asks (nothing) from whom he suffers, (whether) his superior, his equal, or his inferior...But from whomever, or how much, or how often wrong is done to him, he accepts it all as from the hand of God, and counts it gain!" 

Simeon could be called a patient man. The Holy Spirit had appeared to him earlier in his life and had promised him that he was not going to die until he had seen baby Jesus. I’m sure that Simeon was initially excited but as the years passed by with no sign of Christ, he may have begun to doubt that promise. Yet, even as he grew older, he continued to stay faithful to God and served God in the temple.

 

Have you ever asked God for something but didn’t receive an answer right away? Don’t get discouraged! Be patient. Remain faithful to God’s work and don’t stop serving Him! Many times Christians get discouraged and want to give up. Imagine the tremendous blessing Simeon would have missed had he given up! Ask God to help you remain patient today.

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