THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS ---- PATIENCE

The alarm clock rang that morning to say, "get out of bed!" I closed my eyes and turned it off; went back to sleep instead. I thought that I was dreaming and talking to the Lord. “Dear Master I need patience; more than I can afford”. His face was smiling gently with mischief in His eyes. “I think you’ve slept quite long enough. Now it is time to rise” Then suddenly I heard the clock from downstairs in the hall. It told me I was running late; no time was left at all. I threw aside the bedclothes and leapt out of the bed, So fast it made me stumble and really bump my head. The pain the bump had given caused me to stub my toe. I hoped into the bathroom and there, what do you know, There wasn’t any toothpaste; the tube had been squeezed flat. And there was no hot water; and cat “wee” on the mat. My razor wasn’t sharp enough; the shaving soap was gone. “I’ll do it in the office, I have to carry on! The toaster wasn’t working, the porridge full of lumps. The oil upon the garage floor was leaking from the sump. I backed the car out quickly and promptly scratched its side.       I raced off to the office; don't ask about the ride.   The traffic was impossible and so I was delayed. The petrol tank ran empty; my nerves were getting frayed. I couldn’t miss the meeting. I thought I’d get “the sack”! And then there was no parking place; not on my beaten track. My boss’s face was angry. His colour was bright red. I thought that he would throttle me. He didn’t, but instead My bonus was in jeopardy. And so the day wore on. And everything I tried to do, just kept on going wrong. I got home ninety minutes late and had to tell my wife, That surely this just had to be the worst day in my life! My supper had been ruined. The television broke. So when at last I got to bed, I looked a sorry bloke. That’s when I turned to Jesus and I began to wail. I told Him all about my day and its unhappy tale. I think I started crying and poured my sorrow out. I didn’t get much sympathy and then we talked about, The way the Master answers His children when they pray. And that’s when I remembered what I had prayed that day. I’d said I needed patience; then He said quietly, “You’ve had all day to practice it; don’t bellyache to Me!” Jim Strickland – written Wednesday, 01 June 2011