Ephesians 2:4  Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

A good question is posed to the Roman believers after a couple of paragraphs talking about the actions and futures of godless people. These paragraphs are followed by a warning to those who choose to be judgmental of such men and women. Then comes the practical application question. Glossing over the question that verse 4 poses is so much easier than contemplating the honest and true answer that lies in my heart.

The question…Do I think little to nothing of the abundance of His kindness, toleration, and patience in dealing with MY wrongs? Do I take that grace He shows me for granted? How often do I want to sit around and think about my wrongs, being humble enough in spirit to confess them? God, in His abundant kindness, tolerance and patience works in me (and ultimately through me) by waiting for my heart and mind to get in tune with His. He realizes my rebellion and pride. He knows my emotional make-up and “parents” me. My hope is that I respond to this kind of guidance so that strong discipline is not required. I want to be a fast learner! He doesn’t show kindness, tolerance and patience with me so that I can be happy everyday. They are all shown so that I will be led to repentance. It is God’s desire for me to be totally in step with Him. It’s no coincidence that He is showing me…modeling for me…the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) that should be seen in me. That list of fruit includes patience, kindness, goodness, and gentleness. May I not take God’s patience, goodness and kindness for granted. May I allow those attributes in God to bring me to a place of humility and submission to Him. May I turn the other direction from those things I do today that are contrary to His desires for me.

Lord, thank you for this practical application question. Please help me to see the sin in my life to which you are responding with kindness, tolerance, and patience. Soften my heart toward repentance. Please help me to exhibit these same qualities to those who I feel have wronged me. Thanks for you patience. It causes to love you even more!

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 7th, 2007 at 5:00 am and is filed under Daily Readings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.