Title: Faith is waiting. (James 5:7-11)
December is the season when people are excited. It's a busy month with the regret of passing the year and the waiting and fear of the new year ahead. There is also Christmas, the biggest holiday in Christianity. At the end of the year, however, there is a feeling of waiting and regret.
I will remember vividly when I was a child, going to church on Christmas Day and preparing for various events. Many saints will miss the Christmas of their childhood and will remain in their memories beautifully. Faith is waiting. Faith in God is waiting, and trusting and trusting people requires waiting love.
The blessings of heaven are reserved for the saints who have endured and endured in this way. For example, we learn from Job's patience. Job suffers the loss of his ten children and all of his possessions. As a result of the attack, he has sores all over his body, and he tries to avoid the pain by scraping his skin with a tile. Rather, your wife curses the God you believe in and curses you to die too. But he does not blame God. It is the Lord who gave and the Lord God who took away. He experiences God's amazing love and shows his faith to grow and take root. In Job 42:5, Job says, “I have heard of you with my ears, but now I see you with my eyes.” Job knew perfectly and understood God. If we go through hardship like Job did, does God exist? Unbelief will take root in your heart. There will also be a significant number of believers leaving the church. God gives a double blessing to Job who endured hardship and suffering. God does not neglect the saints who have endured through faith and have overcome.
To those who persevere, “God is the most merciful and merciful.” God fills those who have endured and endured for Himself with amazing blessings that cannot be afforded. Hebrews 11:26 says, “The reproach received for the sake of Christ was regarded as greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt, for they looked to the reward.” Moses was a Hebrew and became the son of an Egyptian princess. But he renounces all the vested interests of Egypt that he deserves at God's call. They give up wealth and glory to be with their own people. Because they know the reward that God will give them.
Aren't we only interested in gifts and cards and the Christmas tree for Christmas 2005? Christmas is a season of waiting. We desperately need the waiting that the Magi waited to worship the baby Jesus who came as King. At that time and now, Christmas is not about salespeople's gimmicks, but humility in waiting is necessary. Just as the Magi received the blessing of meeting Jesus, God's blessings come to those who persevere. This is the blessing of perseverance. In the last days, believers will have a more difficult life of faith. We must have faith that endures and perseveres to the end. Christianity is a religion that is filled with fruits that are later than the beginning, and that the ending is more beautiful than the beginning. This Christmas, the members of the Good Shepherd Church, let's welcome the Lord with a waiting and excited heart.