http://www.spiritualkindling.com/Site/Bible_Verses_on_Patience/Bible_Verses_on_Patience.html What the Bible Says About Patience<br/>Prayer is one area of our lives in which we can not multi-task. This is the time to calm down, focus your thoughts on the sublime and patiently wait to learn what the Lord is trying to tell you. “Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way.” (Psalm 37:7) iWeb 3.0.3 http://www.spiritualkindling.com/Site/Bible_Verses_on_Patience/Entries/2008/8/3_Patience__A_Fruit_of_the_Spirit__Mark_12__1-12.html b10f932c-a4a0-4ac6-8352-7d216c252581 Sun, 3 Aug 2008 01:48:58 -0500 In Jerusalem, the entrance to King Solomon’s Temple was framed by sculpted images of grape vines, their leaves inlaid with glittering gold, their grapes set with sparkling jewels. The vine was a symbol drawn from the Old Testament passage in which God promised the Jews a “land of vines and fig trees.” It was an emblem of their nation. Standing near the vine festooned entrance to the Temple, Jesus used the symbol to tell a remarkable tale about God’s patience.<br/><br/>To those who heard the parable of the unjust vine dressers, Christ's message was clear. He was reminding them of the many prophets that God, the vineyard owner, had sent to the Chosen People only to have them rejected, abused and even killed by the Jewish leaders. Yet, time and again, God had forestalled His judgment and had given the Jews another chance to repent and be saved. More than 1,500 years had elapsed between Moses and Jesus during which time God had displayed His great mercy and patience to generation upon generation.<br/><br/>The patience of God serves as a model for all of us when dealing with difficult people. Just as the Lord is slow to anger, we must likewise exercise patience, hold our tongues and gather all the facts before reacting to someone else. Many a controversy has escalated simply because one or both parties had rushed to judgment.<br/><br/>As the last in a long line of Jewish prophets, Jesus expected to suffer at the hands of His detractors. But, once again, He made clear that His Father was slow to anger. He told the scribes and Pharisees that at some time in the future the unrepentant would receive their just recompense. On Judgment Day, and only then, the owner of the vineyard “will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others.”<br/><br/>We are among those who have inherited the vineyard. It’s up to us to tend the fields with the same mercy and patience that the Lord has shown to us.