Not so long past that I do not remember; a minister gave a message in which he claimed God was not tolerant. The first thing that came to my heart was, “If God was not tolerant, we would all be nothing but dust and ashes.” Tolerant means, showing tolerance. One of the meanings of tolerance is patience, and patience is a fruit of the Spirit; and God is Spirit. Another meaning of tolerance is lenience. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17). What amazing lenience, or should I write, what supernatural tolerance. When I walked away from God, and did whatever I wanted – the knowledge of what was right and wrong belonged to me – it was my right to be wrong and call it right – my life was forfeited and my death a sure thing, but God came and tolerated my sin and unbelief to the point of taking it upon Himself. Jesus took my death into the tomb and the day is coming when He will cast it into the lake of fire.
As a young Christian I stumbled and failed time after time; and God was there with His grace and mercy. God loved me when I was a sinner, and God loved me as a baby Christian, and God still loves me. I keep using the needs of my physical existence as an excuse not to do the things God has called me to do. There are things God has called me to that I have not yet done because of wondering, “Where will I live, what will I ware, and how will I eat?” And not so much the “I” but those I am responsible for. God’s promise is, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Am I really the one responsible for those in my care? If God promised, then doesn’t the responsibility belong to God? Even in that God loves me (and has been tolerant); God understands my heart for the care of my family. Now I need to understand His heart for the care of my family. God has more to give; He has promised to provide. Because of His grace (tolerance towards me) the provisions are still available.
The word I love to use to talk about the tolerance of God is love. God so loved the world, and out of that love came His only begotten Son to this world; not to condemn but that the world might be saved. We can read about a time of tribulation coming on the world, and get the idea that God is not tolerant. We can also read about the coming of a prophet to turn the hearts of the fathers and the children least a time of tribulation will come upon the earth. God is calling His people to be loving and forgiving – we are the children of God when we love those that hate us (our enemy). It is the hearts of the fathers and the children that need to turn. There are children of God, who we do not consider His children because they do not meet with us in our “church” buildings, that God calls His children. Where are the hearts of the “church” fathers towards God’s children? Are they intolerant hearts? God is tolerant of the sins of the fathers – let us turn our hearts to the children of God.
It is so easy to want to care for those we see as in our care. As fathers, we are the overseers of our house. But, we are also servants in the house of God. Our households come under the house of God. The unsown fields are in God’s domain. As ministers, are those who meet with us in our “church” our responsibility? What is the promise of God? As ministers, we minister to the children of God. We are as much ministers to the lost child as we are to the one who remained in the Lord’s fields (who we see as our responsibility). The hearts of the fathers need to turn to the children at risk. God has promised to care for those seeking the kingdom and His righteousness. Jesus has promised to seek out what is lost, because the overseers have not. God has been tolerant to the point of taking it all upon Himself. God has loved our enemy, because we have not. Jesus came and died for those we call our enemy! Will the King put them on His right side and us on His left?
© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.