Awesome God: Prayer & Fasting (Kids)Sample

DAY 5 | GOD IS PATIENT

One minute seems like a short time, until you try holding your breath for that long. Have you ever tried doing that? Most of us who try it won’t be able to do it! Suddenly, one minute seems like a really long time.

God’s anger is like that—He takes far longer to get angry than we expect or imagine. He is very patient. Yesterday, we learned that God is just. He punishes wrongdoing and injustice. So does that mean if you do something wrong, He is waiting in heaven, ready to strike you? That’s not how it is with God. He is so patient that He can wait for a very, very long time for us to come to Him and allow Him to change the way we live.

This isn’t an excuse for us to keep doing wrong. “Oh, God takes so long to get angry; He’s waiting for me. I’ll take my time before I ask Him to save me from sin and change the way I live.” God can see our hearts. The Bible says it’s actually His patience that is meant to lead us to Him (Romans 2:4).

As followers of Jesus, we should remember what Romans 5:8 says: “But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In God’s great love, He was patient even if we don’t deserve it. He paved the way for us to return to Him.  

This isn’t just for us. This also means He died even for people who haven’t received Jesus as their Lord and Savior yet, and He is patiently waiting for them to come to Him. Our job is to be patient with them the same way God is patient with us. It’s not our job to save other people, but God gives us the opportunity to share the truth of His hope with them.

By being patient with others, we express to God how grateful we are to Him for His patience; at the same time, we are showing others how patient our God is.

I CAN BE PATIENT BECAUSE GOD IS PATIENT WITH ME.

Reflect

Think of the last time you were impatient with someone. What did you do? The next time it happens, how can you show patience instead?

Pray

Dear God, Your patience amazes me, and I’m grateful that You have been patient with me no matter what. Lord Jesus, thank You that You showed Your love for me by dying on the cross, even before I had even decided to follow You. Holy Spirit, fill me with patience the way You are patient. In Jesus’s name, amen.