97. Displays his patience.

The reason God chose Israel was not because of their merit but because of his mercy and they really tested his patience! "Hear now , you house of David? Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?" Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.'(Isaiah 7:13-14) The Lord's patience with Israel, paid off, 'for salvation is from the Jews' (John 4:22) and the world got a Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ! Had God been impatient with Israel and impulsively given up on them, the world would have missed a Saviour! 'Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation ...' (2 Peter 3:15) Salvation of the 'objects of his mercy' and the 'destruction of the objects of his wrath', for he has borne both with great patience! 'What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath - prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory know to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory - even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?'(Romans 9:22-24) The Lord's great patience in dealing with us will pay off too, for through us he will make this salvation known to the ends of the world and we will be a display of his unlimited patience! Hallelujah! 'But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example of those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.'(1 Timothy 1:16) Amen.