That's Gonna Leave a Mark

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (James 5:7-11 ESV).

First, let me be very clear. I am NOT a bull rider, though I have done it once in my life. I won’t share all the details. Suffice it to say it was when I was much younger and lots dumber! The picture here is of a professional rodeo bull rider. He didn’t make his dismount quite as he planned. My Dad would say, “That’s gonna leave a mark!” I don’t think any of us would have a doubt about the veracity of that. And, while most of us have not had this experience, we have had plenty of those kinds of circumstances that have “left a mark”! Job was one of those people. Perhaps more than anyone he was tested, losing all his children and flocks and herds, and then eventually his health. And yet he did not lose his faith and did not sin against God (cf. Job 1-2; 42). If we look at Job’s life, we might think he had every right to be angry. Throughout his defense we see some notes of righteous anger against his friends, who spoke unfairly to him. But in all his suffering and complaints, Job did not sin. And yet how long did Job have to wait for God’s declaration of righteousness? In the heat of the moment, anger often wins over patience. Let anger go and you can avoid its terrible consequences. Letting go of anger means releasing your right to be vindicated. God sees all and knows the truth. Not unlike a wild horse that needs training to accept a bridle, the emotional power of unrestrained anger can be redirected and refocused into God’s hands. But how long will God take to make things right? It’s all in the Lord’s timing. We will struggle with sin until Christ returns, but in the meantime we will have access to the patience to resist anger and the other deadly sins scratching at our door and seeking a place in our hearts. Christ has nailed the power of sinful anger to the cross. He has won in the resurrection. Persevere in the Lord’s steadfast love today, and, in his strength, keep waiting patiently for the Lord. We may get there with a lot of “marks”… but we will get there in Him!