Good Bread

Being a parent ‘patience’ is a word which crops up a lot in our house. Either as I talk to myself reminding myself to be ‘patient’ or attempting to encourage a ‘patient’ attitude in my children when they’re waiting to be fed; travelling somewhere – ‘Are we nearly there yet?!’ or generally when things take longer than they’d like. It’s not easy; most of us want things now and don’t like waiting.  We come from a fast food culture of instant noodles; coffee on the go and microwave meals. We can shop online with delivery the next day. Travel to Paris and back in a day (from the UK). We take out loans to pay for things we can’t yet afford. Patience is not well practiced in our culture.

 

I think sometimes our experience of our Fast Food Culture can impact on our ability to be patient in other areas of our lives. We need to remind ourselves that some things can not be rushed. Certainly on the mission field, most things can not be rushed – whether its building relationships, projects, training, teaching etc….  I think the picture of bread can help us today to consider patience and also be a helpful visual reminder when we’re struggling with being patient, particulary in the area of ministries we may be involved.

 

You can’t rush good bread!   I like the picture of bread because it has a small but essential ingredient that almost can’t be seen but slowly works to grow the bread ready for baking and ultimately eating – yeast!  Now I know you can buy ‘quick yeast’ these days but there is still the essential process of kneading and allowing the bread to rise before baking it.  On the mission field, our lives, our work, our ministries are like the yeast. They slowly work to grow the kingdom of God, to bring development, to make a difference in people’s lives. Sometimes it seems nothing is happening but like bread rising, gradually it is happening, the yeast is working.

 

So be encouraged and continue to be patient. The yeast is working! God is using you to ‘bake good bread’. Slowly, slowly, things are happening, things are changing and yes, His kingdom is growing. May God equip you with patience as you knead your bread and wait for it to rise.

 

‘Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that for outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18