FALAITE ME 15, 2026
2 KALONIKALI 28-31; ‘EKISOTO 34:1-8
Your present, past, and future rest on the Lord's incalculable patience.
Ko ho taimi lolotongaa, kuohilii, mo ho kaha’uu ‘oku tu’u ‘i he anga faka’atu’i ta’emahakulea ‘a e ‘Otua.
I stood in a line at the end of a busy day with just one thing in my hand. I was already late in picking up the one thing we needed to complete dinner. In front of me was a woman with a full cart and a fist full of coupons. Nothing in her actions communicated that she was in a hurry. The longer she took at the checkout counter, the more irritated I got. As I fidgeted, she took her time. The few minutes I had to wait seemed like an eternity. It's quite embarrassing to look back at myself in that scene. The few minutes I lost were not important at all. As I left the store and walked to my car, I was confronted by how impatient I am, how hard it is for me to wait.
I am thankful that God is not like me. One thing that jumps off the pages of the Old Testament, particularly Kings and Chronicles, is the amazing and incalculable patience of the Lord. The entire future of Israel, the completion of God's redemptive plan, and the hope of the nations rest on the foundation of the patience of God. Considering Israel's legacy of covenant-breaking immorality and idolatry, we would expect that at some point God would rise up and say, "Enough. I am done with your wickedness. I will be patient with you no more. I withdraw my covenant promises, and you will face my final condemnation." But that does not happen. God is not like us. He does not act in divine haste. He does not turn quickly from his covenant promises when his people offend him. It's not that God treats sin lightly. No, it's that he knows the only thing that will defeat it once and for all is his grace. So, in grace, he again and again gives his people the opportunity to confess and turn to him in repentance and renewed worship.
God's patience is demonstrated powerfully in 2 Chronicles 29. After using pagan nations as tools of his discipline and after all the destruction, defeats, and captivity, he is not done with his children. He raises up righteous Hezekiah, who appoints messengers to do the work of the Lord and to restore the temple to its God-honoring glory. Here are Hezekiah's words: "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him" (2 Chron. 29:10-11).
It is important to understand that Hezekiah reigns as king and makes this covenant commitment only because God is patient and does not abandon his covenant promises. That same patience is your hope today and all the days to come. His patience gives room for his grace to flow.