James 5:7-8 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

It’s interesting that English translations pretty unanimously use “patient” and “patience” in this passage, but the Japanese uses a term that is closer to “endure” and “endurance.” There is a definite tinge of suffering to it. We should be able to understand that, because we don’t like to wait, and being forced to wait can certainly feel like suffering. I’m reminded of the two astronauts who are being forced to wait on the International Space Station because Boeing’s engineering and quality control didn’t give them a capsule that could be trusted to get them back to earth safely. They were expecting an 8-day stay, and it will be more like 8 months! That example is literally worlds away from the one James uses, of farmers waiting for the harvest, but the fact remains that real-world events often fail to line up with our desired schedules, and that requires patient endurance. Impatience just makes the waiting harder on us! One thing in this passage is often picked on by those who want to deny the validity of the Bible, and that’s the matter of Christ’s return. It’s true that the early believers thought that Christ would return within their natural lifetime, and it’s been 2000 years. However, what James is saying here is that return is nearer than it was. For no one reading this passage is that return further than 100 years off! A beloved hymn says, “I know not when my Lord may come, at night or noonday fair, or if I’ll walk the vale with Him or meet Him in the air.” The thing is, the time will come for each person to meet Jesus face-to-face, either as beloved Lord and Savior or as stern Judge. We don’t know how much work He has left for us to do, but we’ve got to wait for His “end of shift” signal. Until that time, we are to be active in the task at hand, leaving harvest schedules up to the Lord and enduring whatever is called for.

This certainly applies to me, as I have written before. My father arrived as a missionary in Japan 90 years ago this month, and I’ve been in Omura for 43 years this month. Many things have happened, in his ministry and mine, and some of them have been gloriously fruitful. At the same time, there has been much to endure, and sometimes those have been simultaneous! I’ve already been left on the earth almost 12 years longer than my father was, so I have no idea how much longer I have, but I am to focus on faithfulness and anticipate the Lord’s harvest on the Lord’s schedule. In the past few days there have been several very encouraging, blessed interactions, and I am to expect more. That said, there will doubtless be more things that I will need to endure. I’m not to be “looking at my watch,” so to speak, but rather rest, relax, and rejoice in serving my Lord, just as He has told me to do.

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. I do pray that all of Your plans may be fulfilled, not just in my life but around the world, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!