Patience

This photo is a picture of patience. Now, you might be wondering how a picture of bread could be a symbol of patience. But before that bread was a shapely loaf it was a blob of goop overflowing the mixing machine into a soupy mess on the counter. And I, I fell apart just like that dough because it wasn't turning out. I could claim I was overly tired from getting up early and going to bed late or I could cite stress at work as an excuse for my reaction. The plain truth is I am a sinful creature and as Paul writes in Romans, "I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members" (7:23).

I speak honestly when I say that in my meltdown I deserved a swift kick in the pants, perhaps a slap on the back of the head with the phrase, "It's just bread dough!" exclaimed to me and then a command to go to my room until I mature a bit. But I speak honestly when I say that is not what I received. My mom came and prayed for me, she gave me a kiss, and told me how proud of me she was. Is this not an extreme measure of patience?

Our Heavenly Father did the same with us. In his justice he offered Christ as a sacrifice of atonement "because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished" (Romans 3:25). I deserve more than a slap for my sins yet God, in his "kindness and love...saved us, not because of righteous things we had done but because of his mercy" (Titus 3:4). He patiently changes us through the work of the Holy Spirit to become like Christ Jesus. "He does not treat us as our sins deserve" (Psalm 103:10). Verily, our sins are as far from him "as the east is from the west" (Psalm 103:12).

My hope is that which Peter writes: "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9b). Thus, this picture of bread is a picture of patience, a reminder of my mother's and my Heavenly Father's patience with me. May I echo Paul's words: "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24, 25).

--HM