Shalom and welcome to a series of Living Supernaturally. We started on a fresh series yesterday and we’ve been looking at the ‘one another’ commands. These two words that appear so very often in the New Testament and we believe that this is some of the keys to good, healthy, godly relationships. Today, our ‘one another’ command is be patient with one another. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 2, ‘be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.’ A key ingredient in any relationship is patience. What does the word patience mean? It means to suffer long, it means to show patience in spite of troubles, in spite of afflictions especially when they are caused by other people. It means to be tolerant of whatever imperfections or flaws or differences that we may see in others. The patient person gives others time and room to change and also to make mistakes in the process. The reality is that all of us make mistakes and we all have our own difficulties and if we want to have deep and meaningful relationships, we ought to be patient ourselves as well as to show patience to one another. One of the best examples that we see in the bible about patience is in the story of the prodigal son. Even though the main theme of this parable is about mercy and forgiveness, it is worthwhile really to see the response of the father in this story. We know that in this story, the younger son walks away with all the wealth of the father and squanders it and we probably can imagine how frustrating it must have been for the father to see his son behave so selfishly but yet we see that the father waited hopefully and patiently and when his son returned, he was so overjoyed that his son came back to him. There was immediate acceptance and there was an invitation to enjoy the same old relationship that the father enjoyed with the son. Now, our patience, where is it rooted? Our patience with one another is rooted in Gods patience towards us. He doesn’t treat us like our sins really deserve. He is patient as we slowly grow in righteousness and holiness. We read in Psalm chapter 103, verse 8, ‘the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.’ We see that God is so patient with us. If God the maker of heaven and earth is so patient with us, how much more are we called to be patient with others? We don’t demand change, we cannot be working on the mentality of my way or the highway but when conflict arise, we patiently work with it. With whom do you need to be patient today? Who would really need your grace and your mercy? What is God trying to teach you through this? Ask God to help you grow in patience, to give you the patience that only He can provide, ask Him to help you be more patient so that your relationships can be restored. Let’s pray together, Heavenly Father, thank you for the example of your patience in our lives. You are so gracious and so slow to anger, that you deal with us with such immense love and patience. Teach us to do the same even when it is hard, help us to keep a restrain over our mouth, over our words and to be longsuffering, to have forbearance as we deal with one another. Thank you because you will help us, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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