Scripture: James 5:7-8
Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the coming of the Lord. Consider the farmer who waits patiently for the coming of rain in the fall and spring, looking forward to the precious fruit of the earth. You also must wait patiently, strengthening your resolve, because the coming of the Lord is near.
Thought for the Day: The language of “the coming of the Lord” has been misunderstood and misrepresented over the last 100 years of Christianity. Certain groups and Christian ideologies have made it into some cosmic battle where certain folks are swept away in glory and others languish in eternal suffering. Yet James, and much of the New Testament, points to a new heaven and a new earth. It is a time of renewal and redemption when the fullness of Christ is known and faithfully lived in and through church. This is important when you think of James’ community that was probably under some persecution or at least found itself facing a constant obstruction in its work toward Kingdom fulfillment. The word we translate as ‘near’ comes from the Greek word Agkale which describes the bending of the elbow where the forearm and the bicep meet. It describes the arm in general or the capacity for the two parts to come together. It was also used to describe an enfolding or enveloping. The coming of the Lord is the idea of the Lord’s way slowly enveloping the earth. This comes through God’s love and humanity’s yes to this love through the work of the church.
Prayer: Make my life a part of your work of love, O Lord, that is slowly enveloping your creation. Amen.
