When I woke up this morning, I was creaky and tired. So, so tired! As hubby sat on the side of the bed trying to wake up, I couldn’t help but think of how my dad used to sit on the side of the bed trying to wake up each morning.
My dad worked a long ways away … his commute was 70 miles one way! It took him almost 1 ½ hrs. to get to work. Each morning my dad would leave the house at 4:45am.
When I was in high school, I decided I was going to do something nice to show my dad how much I loved him. I decided I would get up and fix breakfast for him each morning before he left for work. Up until that point I had not done any cooking. I wanted to learn how to cook, so by cooking breakfast for my dad I was practicing cooking.
Since my dad left at 4:45am, I needed to have breakfast ready for him at 4:30am. I would get up at 3:45am and head to the kitchen to get started.
Having poured over my mom’s cookbook I decided to make pancakes for my dad. My mom rarely made pancakes. I had never made pancakes before. I had no idea that the temperature of the electric skillet is very important … because if the temperature is set too high the outside of the pancakes will get slightly charred, while the inside remains slightly undercooked.
Who wants to eat slightly charred, slightly undercooked pancakes at 4:30am?? Nobody.
But my dad was so loving and patient with me. He was kind and gracious and ate what I made for him without one complaint. He told me how thankful he was for the breakfast I made for him. And as he got into the car and drove off to work, I was so proud that I had done something “important” to love on my dad.
I baked blueberry muffins for my dad. I baked biscuits for my dad.
I baked popovers … discovering in the process that popovers are basically just air, and they are basically tasteless. I had no idea jam is highly important when serving popovers. My dad ate my popovers with gratitude, thanking me for my love for him. And all the while I was so proud that I had done something “important” to love on my dad.
As I struggled to wake up this morning, feeling creaky and so so tired, I couldn’t imagine having a younger version of myself in the kitchen bustling around cooking slightly-charred, slightly-undercooked pancakes or tasteless popovers … enthusiastic for me to eat them for breakfast. The last thing I want early in the morning is to eat something heavy.
It dawned on me how patient my dad had been with me. Love is patient. My dad loved me … and so he patiently endured my cooking endeavors at 4:30am. He patiently ate whatever I baked for him … with gratitude and thankfulness. This was love. This was patience in love.
I had been so proud that I was doing something “important” to love on my dad … while all along he didn’t really need freshly baked breakfast pastries at 4:30am. He had been having a rice cake with peanut butter for years for breakfast. Yet, for that brief little stint when I got up and cooked breakfast for my dad at 4:30am, he received my gift of love with gratefulness … and unbeknownst to me, patience.
I can’t help but think how similar this is to our relationship to God. If we have repented of our sin and given our life to follow Jesus Christ, God welcomes us into his family. God describes us as his “kids.”
As one of God’s “kids” we are just like I was with my dad. We want to do things to show God how much we love him. We pour ourselves out in service to God, feeling (just like I did with my dad) proud that we are doing something “important” to serve and love God.
But the thing is … God doesn’t necessarily need our efforts of service to him. But also, just like my dad, God loves us very much! God is pleased with our efforts of service and love for him. And God receives our efforts of service and love with gratefulness and a heart overflowing with love for us.
I didn’t know how to cook. I was learning on my dad … at 4am. So also, in the same way, as God’s “kids” we don’t know how to live a life of holiness which pleases him. We are learning. My dad knew that as I learned, I would get better. I would become proficient at cooking. And so, he was happy to let me practice on him.
In the same way, God knows we don’t know what we are doing (as we try to grow in holiness). But he knows that we will get there if we keep trying. And so, God is happy to let us practice and learn. God is patient with us. Love is patient.
Love sees beyond the here and now. Love sees the potential which is underneath the surface.
Love sees the amazing things which will come about, in time. And as a result, love is patient.
God, in his love and patience gives us grace as we work through the mistakes and failures in our life. He sees the potential which he has placed inside us. He has prepared great things for us to do for him. (Ephesians 2:10) In love and patience, God lets us “practice” (like I practiced cooking on my dad). In love and patience God encourages us in our spiritual growth of holiness.
I graduated from high school and went away to college. One Christmas break, my sister and I were leaving to head back to college around the same time my dad was leaving for work. Our journey took us the same way, down the same freeway … so, my sister and I followed along behind my dad the first 40 miles or so down the freeway.
When my dad reached his exit, his car headed off down the long sweeping exit toward the State Highway he would be following. As he drove off, he rolled down his window and waved his bright red cap out the window in farewell to us.
Seeing my dad’s car sweeping off in a different direction … with him waving his bright red cap out the window to us … my eyes filled with tears and I was overcome with emotion! Even to this day the thought stirs up emotion in me.
It wasn’t a forever goodbye. I would see my dad again. It was only goodbye for now.
I wonder if this is how the disciples felt when Jesus left earth and was taken up into heaven. Did it feel like a bright red cap waving goodbye out the window?? Did they stand there with emotion flooding over them and tears filling their eyes??
Jesus had gone a different direction. And they were left here to carry out the assignment they had been tasked with. Just like my dad had gone a different direction … and my sister and I were left to continue on down the road we were on and carry out the assignment which we had been tasked with.
Love is patient. Because of our love for Jesus, we patiently wait for him to come back again for us. Because of our love for Jesus, we patiently press on to carry out the assignment he has tasked us with, right here in this place.
Because of our love for Jesus, we patiently endure suffering and hardship. Because of our love for Jesus, we patiently endure disappointment.
Because of our love for Jesus, we patiently put up with each other!
Love is patient. Therefore, we show love and patience to those around us who are learning … and “practicing” (just like I was practicing cooking on my dad). We have patience as they work through mistakes and failures. We know they will get there eventually. Potential is there … even if unseen right now. And so, we have patience.
Love is patient.
