THE SEED
“I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience” 1 Timothy 1:16
When we hear the word patience, we probably think of the virtue that enables us to wait. That’s one way of looking at it, but Spirit-led patience is also much more. Patience is longsuffering. It involves more than passive waiting; it is active forbearance. It is a deliberate willingness to put up with disagreeable things in pursuit of higher goals. The best example of patience in the Bible is God himself. A number of times, God is described as being “slow to anger” (see Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8). This phrase captures what true patience is. Patient people do more than just wait. They actively restrain their rightful anger and frustration. For a higher purpose, they put up with things that they know are wrong. This is the attitude our longsuffering God has toward sinful people. For Paul, the “immense patience” of Jesus meant that God put up with all his wickedness for a long time before showing mercy to him. Paul calls himself “the worst of sinners,” reflecting back on the time of his life when he persecuted Christians (see Acts 7:54-8:3). But God had other plans for Paul (Acts 9:1-31; 13:1-28:31). That could easily be the testimony of every believer. How wonderful that God’s love rests on his own capacity for goodness, and not our own!
BIBLE READING: 1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for being patient with us. Forgive us for all we do wrong, and help us to be living testimonies of your mercy. In Jesus name, Amen.
SÙÚRÙ ATI ÍPAMỌ́RA
IRUGBIN NAA
“Ṣugbọn nitori èyi ni mó ṣe rí aanu gba, pé lára mí, bi olori, ní kí Jésù Kristi fi gbogbo ípamọ́ra rẹ hàn.” 1 Timoteu 1:16
Nigba ti a gbọ nipa ọrọ sũru, èyí jasi pe a ni ero nipa ìwà rere ti yíó mú wá duro. Ọnà kan ti a le fi gba wo ni èyí, ṣugbọn idari tí ẹ̀mí nipa sùúrù máa npọ. Sùúrù jẹ ípamọ́ra. Ó pọ́ ju dídúró lásán lọ; o jẹ ifarada ti a nfi sí ojú ṣe. Ó jẹ́ ìmúratán láti mọ̀ọ́nmọ̀ fara da àwọn ohun tí kò lè fohùn ṣọ̀kan níti lílépa àwọn ibi gíga. Àpẹẹrẹ sùúrù tó dára jù lọ nínú Bíbélì ni Ọlọ́run fúnra rẹ̀. Ọ̀pọ̀ ìgbà ni Ọlọ́run ń sọ pé ó “lọ́ra láti bínú.” (Wo Ẹ́kísódù 34:6; Sáàmù 103:8 ) Ọrọ ni ṣoki yìí jẹ́ ká mọ ohun tí sùúrù tòótọ́ jẹ́. Awọn eniyan ti o ni sùúrù, ṣe ju ki wọn duro lasan. Wọ́n jọ̀wọ́ ìbínú àti ìjákulẹ̀ tí o tọ́ sí wọn dúró. Fun eredi ti o ga julọ, wọn fi ara mọ awọn ohun ti wọn mọ pe ko tọ. Eyi ni iwa ti Ọlọrun wa onipamọra ni si awọn eniyan ẹlẹṣẹ. Ní ti Pọ́ọ̀lù, “sùúrù ńláǹlà” tí Jésù ní túmọ̀ sí pé Ọlọ́run ti fara da gbogbo ìwà ibi Pọọlu, fún ìgbà pípẹ́ ki ó tó ṣàánú rẹ̀. Pọ́ọ̀lù pe ara rẹ̀ ní “àwọn ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀ tó burú jù lọ,” ní rí ronú piwada sí akoko ìgbà ìgbésí ayé rẹ̀ nígbà tó ṣe inúnibíni sí àwọn Kristẹni (Wo Ìṣe 7:54-8:3). Ṣugbọn Ọlọrun ní awọn eto miiran fun Paulu (Iṣe. 9:1-31; 13:1-28:31). Èyí le jẹ ẹri ti o rọrùn fún gbogbo onigbagbọ. Ẹ wo bí ó ti jẹ́ àgbà yanu tó pé; ìfẹ́ Ọlọ́run sinmi lórí agbára tirẹ̀ fún iṣeun, kì í sì í ṣe tiwa!
BIBELI KIKA: 1 Timoteu 1:12-17
ADURA: Oluwa adupe fun suuru pelu wa. Dariji wa fun gbogbo ohun ti a ṣe aṣiṣe, ki o si ran wa lọwọ lati jẹ ẹri ti aanu laaye. Ni oruko Jesu Amin.