Sometimes God speaks to us through things that happen in our daily lives. Sometimes it’s through our work, sometimes through our kids, and sometimes it’s even through our pets. Today, God spoke to me through my two retired racing greyhounds, Toby and Flo. This afternoon, I needed to go out to the store. Since I wasn’t going to be going to a pet-friendly store, I left the dogs home, got in my car and headed out.
Now, because we only recently adopted these two dogs, I have a pet camera set up so I can check in on them when they are alone in the house. When I reached my destination, I used an app on my phone to take a peek at how they were doing. Toby was sleeping on his cot, but Flo was walking around the room, occasionally stopping at the door or a window to see if I was coming back yet. A little later, I looked and saw Toby standing on his cot and looking out the window. Like Flo, he was looking to see if I was coming back. They weren’t barking or pacing impatiently. They knew I would be back, so they were just watching, waiting patiently for me to return.
Jesus came and died for our sins. God’s Word promises that one day, Jesus will return, not to deal with sin. He already did that. He will return instead to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:28). We do not know the day or the hour of His return, but we know that He will return. When He returns, He will take all of us who are His, the dead first and then the living. And, on that day, we will begin eternity in God’s presence. For that reason, we look for His return with eager hearts. But we must not be impatient.
When a farmer plants his crops, he waits patiently for the right time to gather the fruits of the earth. The seed must be watered, it must grow, and then, when it is ripe for harvest, it can be eaten. If the farmer was impatient and harvested the fruit before its time, the fruit would not be edible. Just as the farmer is patient, and just as my dogs waited patiently for my return today, we must be patient until Jesus’ return (James 5:7-8). We need to be sure that we are ready for His return, that our hearts are prepared. We must endure whatever suffering may come our way with patience. He promises that it will be well worth the wait.
A Worshiper's Journal 