People have referred to the remarkable patience of Job since the time of the trials that demonstrated what a truly patient man he was. Some people seem to be programmed to have extraordinary patience. Job seems to be the greatest example of a patient person in recorded history.

Yet, if we read far enough into Job's history, we learn that he too had his limits of patience. As chapter 2 of his biography closes we read that he did not sin in his suffering nor did he complain about his sorrows.

Yet, as chapter 3 opens, we read Job's cursing of the day of his birth and we go on to read that he wished he had died at birth—and other expressions of a man confused and in dreadful agony of body and mind.

We shake our heads in bewilderment at the immense suffering of this righteous man. If we are perfectly honest we admit we have no understanding of why he had to suffer in such a manner.

We are told in our verses today to consider the cycles of creation, and how the farmer—after he sows the good seed—waits through the rainy season and the sunshine until the crop ripens, in order to reap the anticipated crop. The world is predictable in its cycles, and that is the reason the farmer sows the seed in hope of a crop. If God had not programmed creation in cycles we would never sow seed in hope of a crop for the winter season.

The farmer persevered and we count him blessed—as our verses say. Then, as we look at Job, we reckon him blessed because of his perseverance. Job's life went from blessed, to being cursed, to being blessed more than ever.

So when we look at the farmer and Job we can be encouraged by their willingness to be patient and look at how God runs His universe. Built into what we see in creation and history, we recognize the hand of God controlling events and seasons to enable us to patiently wait for His time to bring justice to our world.

Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 40:1 (NIV)

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.