Lessons in patience from Abraham

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Abraham was patient, and so he received what God had promised. [Hebrews 6:15 GNT]

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There is an old joke where one prays for patience saying that they want it now. Waiting for a promise to be fulfilled can take years. And sometimes it never comes in our lifetime.

A childless Abraham was promised descendants. He embraced the promise into his latter years. When he was very old he had Isaac. There are lessons about patience that we can learn from Abraham:

1. He made mistakes. He tried to fulfill the promise himself with a son conceived with his wife's servant. In doing so he took control of the promise rather than releasing it in prayer.
2. He kept working while he waited for the promised son. He kept his flocks, managed his household and did things necessary to living. In this he showed trust in God.
3. He remained hopeful. I think that patience is all about hope. We wait on the Lord because we hope in him. We believe that he will fulfill his promises to us.
4. He believed though he did not see. Developing patience is all about embracing the invisible kingdom. God's kingdom operates on things that cannot be seen. Like love.

Abraham received what was promised because he had patience. We must also be patient. Even if we do not see the promised fulfilled. We trust God because we know God.

Our hope is in you Lord. We believe in you. Help us to be patient.

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... this devotion is part of a series from the book of Hebrews.