Acts - Week 12 / Friday

Reading for today: Acts 24: 22-27



Ever stood in line at the DMV? The number in your hand is #52 and the sign on the counter says, "Now serving #23." Or how about traffic? Like on the Dan Ryan in Chicago at 3:30 on a Friday afternoon? It's a five lane parking lot. Or what about waiting in line at the grocery store? You have a twelve pack of Coke and some pretzels in hand and every lane is full of people who look like they're stocking up for Y2K.



Patience is a virtue. No kidding.



How about Paul? Check out the first phrase in Acts 24:27. "Two years went by in this way..."

Two years. Two YEARS. Two years of being held captive - mind you it was a minimum security, "white collar crime" prison. But still...two years. And two years of a governor who knows the story, but is just holding on to you, hoping to extort a bribe (vs. 26).



Paul: "Come on. Jesus, you told me I was going to go to Rome to preach the Good News!"



Jesus: "Patience, Paul. Patience."



Actually, knowing Paul, he probably was much more patient than what I project on him. But still, he definitely provides us with a model of how to handle difficulty with patience.



What dream are you waiting for to happen? Or rather, how are you waiting?



Author F. B. Meyer provides this insight: "If God told you on the front end how long you would wait to find the fulfillment of your desire or pleasure or dream, you'd lose heart. You'd grow weary in doing well doing. So would I. But He doesn't. He just says, 'Wait. I keep My word. I'm in no hurry. In the process of time I'm developing you to be ready for the promise.'"



Are you waiting patiently for dream to come together? What are the good byproducts of patience? Remember it could be worse...you could be on the Dan Ryan...