Ministry of Grace Church

You also be patient. Set your hearts firmly, for the coming of the Lord has drawn near.

Truth to Learn

Patience, firmly rooted in faith, will serve us well as we anticipate the soon return of our Lord.

 

Behind the Words

The word “patient” is from makrothumeō, which, as we saw previously, means “to exercise understanding and patience towards other persons, especially those who are oppressive.”

“Set … firmly” is translated from stēridzō, which means “to firmly set in place.” The reference to our heart is a reference to our conviction, or faith. A faint hearted person has little faith or conviction to rely on, but one who has a heart that is firmly set in place is someone who has a strengthened, resolute conviction and he or she rests on this firm faith.

The phrase “has drawn near” is from engidzō, meaning “to draw near.” This verb is expressed in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect. Hence, James is saying that the coming of the Lord has already drawn near and is, therefore, near at hand now.

 

Meaning Explained

Just as the farmer has learned to be long suffering (to persevere patiently) we need to persevere patiently when God places us in situations where we need to wait on Him. In those times when we are tempted to say, “God, why are you letting these things happen to me?” we need to be patient and realize that He is in control. We need to strengthen our conviction that God really does love us and wants the best for us.

How often do we consider being dependent on others as a weakness! We seem to think that being independent and self-sufficient is the answer to all of life’s problems. That’s why we work so hard at our jobs, saving up enough to carry us through into retirement. We hoard up goods toward the last days. Yet, the successful Christian (one who is full of peace and joy) is one who has learned to be totally dependent on God and to wait patiently for His timing on all things. It is when we do our own thing and stray from the path that God has lain out before us that we get ourselves into sin and separate ourselves from the fellowship of the Almighty Creator.

James now reminds us that the Lord is coming very soon. When Christ was asked by his disciples what would be the sign of His coming and when it would happen, He gave them a detailed description of the events of the Great Tribulation. At the end of this description, our Lord described His return thus:

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory, and these things beginning to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. (Luke 21:27, 28)

When we get discouraged, we tend to look down and feel sorry for ourselves. Instead, we should be looking up, anticipating His return at any moment.

 

Application

Let us remember, once again, that the key to success as a Christian is not to work harder and trust in our own abilities, but to submit to God and commit to His ways! Work hard at serving Him when and where He calls you. God will take care of everything else!

Lift up your eyes, because the coming of the Lord is very near. It could even be today!