Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:7-8
In the Mediterranean region, during the time of James, agriculture was heavily dependent upon the rains for the success of its crops.* These rains came twice per year with extended waiting periods in between.* These waiting periods required patience, but it was not an inactive patience.*
The call of James in these verses is to hold fast to the future hope of the coming of Christ.* This hope is what the Church needed to endure the difficulties of life. It’s the hope that we still need today. Christ, like fresh rain, brings life. He is the hope of freedom and wholeness for the broken, unjust world in which we live. The patience with which we are asked to wait is not an inactive patience.
The farmers in James’ time plowed, sowed, weeded, and fertilized while waiting for the rains.* They could not control when the rains came, but they could put their hope in their coming.* It’s why they worked so hard between rains; they knew that they were not working in vain.*
So too must we work the fields in waiting of the second coming of the Lord. We must not wait with an inactive patience, but with an expectant toil. We must work and remember that while the work is hard and the trials are real, the rain of Christ’s coming reign is sure. He came the first time; the second time is at hand.*
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember that His future hope is coming. Perhaps today God wants you to engage in active patience despite the difficulty. Maybe today God wants you to remember that He is your hope.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 226–228). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 266). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 5:7–8). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 280–285). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 285–286). Zondervan Publishing House.
Martin, R. P. (1988). James (Vol. 48, pp. 189–192). Word, Incorporated.