Sunday March 1, 2009

Read 1 Peter 3:18-22

God waited patiently.—1 Peter 3:20

Being a parent is a trying affair. Kids often move at their own pace; sometimes racing around the house, other times totally frozen in place by a toy they haven’t seen in months, or a T.V. show, or a book, or most anything but what you want them to do RIGHT NOW.

Oftentimes, we forget the patience God has for us. Peter tells of how God waited for Noah to finish construction of the ark was built until he flooded the Earth. Thousands of years passed before Jesus arrived, while God continued to love us and we moved at our own pace—sometimes listening to God, other times chasing false idols, other gods, or whatever distracted us at that time. We are God’s children, and try as we might, we still act like children. And God still loves us.

As we enter this time of Lent, we should recognize not only God’s love for us, but his patience when we stray from His plan. He continues to love us when we stop paying attention; just as we love our children even when the Power Ranger is more important than getting dressed for school.

Pray: Dear Lord, we are blessed by your love and patience. Remind us of your grace, as we struggle to show patience towards others. Amen.

Jeff Atkinson and his wife Jennifer often ask “Is there a butterfly in here?” when Eric’s attention goes from place to place. Thankfully, since Aaron is only 2 months old, he is a bit easier to keep track of on a regular basis.