My high school drafting teacher was a patient man – and my classmates sorely tested him in this. They had a perverse enjoyment in pushing him to his breaking point, because when he had enough, he exploded with a tirade of invective.
The word patient occurs 27 times in the Bible, often referring to God’s patience with us. Yet just like my drafting instructor, God’s patience isn’t without limit.
We see this over and over in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, but it hits me most profoundly when God loses his patience with the nation of Judah.
The text simply says, “There was no remedy.” That means no second chances. Saying “I’m sorry” won’t help. God had enough and that was it.
It reminds me not to try God’s patience, for one time he may say “enough is enough; there is no remedy and no second chances.” I never want to hear those words.
[See occurrences of patience in the Bible and read 2 Chronicles 36:16.]
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
