Patience

Our series from 2 Peter continued on May 13 with a study on patience. You can listen to these sermons if you like by scrolling down to the sermon player on the left side of this page.

I was reminded that the Christian virtue of patience implies suffering and is more than a stoical acceptance of some painful reality. It is a kind of suffering in hope, i.e., while trusting in God and relying on His promise to be with us and to bring us to a desired end.

The following poem by Martha Snell Nicholson (read by Elizabeth Eliot as a part of her address at the funeral of Missionary Veronica Bowers and her infant son Cory, mistakenly killed by the Peruvian Military in 2001) captures this idea:

I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne

And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.

I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart

I cried, "But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.

This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me."

He said, "My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee."

I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,

As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.

I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,

He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.