…for ye have need of patience....I was considering the patience of the Father as He steadfastly refused to intervene as His only Son was being abused, insulted, beaten, whipped, mocked, and nailed to the cross. What patience as He sat upon His throne of glory, with every angel in heaven waiting for a simple nod to fly to the rescue of their Master.
Can you not imagine those angels, with their toes on the borders of heaven, just itching to fly to their beloved Commander's rescue? Imagine Gabriel, as he paces the streets of the New Jerusalem, one eye on the throne waiting, longing for that nod, even the slightest indication or sign that he may be permitted to send forth his legions of angels to avenge the suffering of his Creator and Leader, and the other eye upon Jesus, with tears streaming down his face, love and anguish and confusion and amazement etched upon his face as he watches the scenes unfolding before the astonished universe.
What patience as Jesus hung in pain and shame and agony , with the sins of the world upon His shoulders, experiencing for the first time in eternity separation from His Father.
What pain and anguish and mental agony was the Father going through as He watched His Son being so abused. What depths of pain must He have known when His Son, His only Son cried out for Him and He could not answer? What held Him back from sending those angels to destroy those men? Those murderers who would dare even to touch the Prince of heaven. What was so important, that even the death of God’s Son must continue without interference, without intervention?
Job 7:17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
Job 15:14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Ps 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
What patience in the midst of suffering is the above in comparison with the merest slights we receive from each other?
Who are we that should be so offended at one another's humanness, that we must feel the need to respond in such a manner to destroy another's character to uphold our own ego, pride and dignity, yet in doing so destroy our own integrity, in comparison to the patience shown to us by God Himself when we abuse Him each day with our sin and weaknesses?
PS. It was far easier for me to write the above than put it into practice. God help us all to be patient and kind and gentle with one another at all times. Despite our differences. I believe our restraint reveals more about who we are than our forthrightness.
