Week 6: Patience
and to self-control, patience… (2 Peter 1:6).
Quick, pull out your spyglass! Is that what I think it is? Land ahoy! Land ahoy!
We’re at the halfway point of the Summer Reading Challenge, Sailors! Can you believe it? As we continue our journey, we have the perfect word to help us navigate through some turbulent waters: patience.
Theme
The theme of this week’s challenge is PATIENCE
Origin of the Word
The word patience (or perseverence) comes from the Greek word hupŏmŏnē (pronunciation: hoop-om-on-ay').
ὑπομονή
Definition:
Cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy; enduring, patience, steadfastness, patient continuance (waiting).
Hoist the mainsail! Weigh anchor! All hands on-deck! We’re almost to shore, but there are storm clouds rolling in.
So, batten down the hatches (that is, prepare for a storm), double-check the sails, and grab your compass (God’s Word). We are sailing the Sea of Faith to the Isle of Patience…
Let’s first take a look at our map to see how far we’ve traveled. Reviewing our previous course will help prepare us as we journey on this new route. Woah, I didn’t realize we’ve traveled that far! There’s Diligence…that’s where we added virtue to our faith…and here’s where we picked up the knowledge that helped us to gain self-control. And we certainly needed to gain control of ourselves before we journey to the trepidatious Isle of Patience. Ready? First let’s take a trip over to ancient Greece.
The Greek word for patience is hupŏmŏnē (not to be confused with a Hippopotamus!). This is one of my favorite definitions! Translated in English, the word hupŏmŏnē means perseverance, steadfastness, or cheerful endurance. Did you hear that? Cheerful endurance! This is the idea of a sailor who is unmoved from his course, no matter what happens.
But not only is he resolved to do what is required of him, but he is also cheerful! Imagine this same sailor steering his ship toward land while violent waves crash against his boat. Lightning flashes across the sky, thunder cracks through the air, and this sailor has decided to keep his hands firmly on the wheel—and is singing a merry tune.
Can you imagine?! That certainly changes the way we would think about patience. Hupŏmŏnē is so much more than just choosing NOT to react when someone or something annoys you. We all know it is easy to persevere when the sailing is smooth, but what happens when the storms come in or enemy canons fire? What could cause us to be cheerful then?
The answer is because we have something the rest of the world doesn’t have—hope! This is why we can not only endure hard or tiresome things, but we can also endure them cheerfull—because we have a living hope in our great and awesome God, Jesus Christ, and in the 8,767 promises in the Bible! This is why Paul and Silas were able to sing in prison. This is why James could write, “Count it all joy when you face trials of various kinds.” This is why we can “rejoice always!”
With such a loving and big God, why then do we lose our cheerfulness so easily when things don’t go our way? When plans change and you don’t get to do that fun thing you wanted to do; when your siblings annoy you to no end; when it seems like you keep messing up no matter how hard you try; when you are in a really hard situation at home, school, or work; when you are dealing with a really difficult person; when a seagull swoops in and steals your French fries—remember hupŏmŏnē. Don’t let these storms of life take the wind out of your sails!
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18
Jesus loves us so much that, in the words of Michael Card, “He would rather die than live without us.” Now if someone loves you that much, that is a very good reason (the best!) to cheerfully endure!
As you head into this week, keep this thought in mind: smooth seas do not make skilled sailors. If you really want to follow the course that we’ve been studying in 2 Peter 1, then you must go through trials; and Peter reminds us that these seven virtues, including patience, must be practiced!
Land is in sight, and our ship is almost to shore; but we need to keep straight the course, and not let anything keep us from our goal or our faith will suffer shipwreck (see 1 Timothy 1:19). Search your Compass daily for direction, and learn new songs to sing when the going gets tough. Keep adding to your faith, and keep looking to Jesus (your hope and joy) and not the crashing waves around you, or the big dark clouds, and definitely not your saltwater-soaked sandwich! Then, when someone asks you how you can be so cheerful, you can gladly say (or sing!):
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”
Stay the course, Sailor, and may God enable you to sing in the storm!
Fair sailing!
Rainey
Lamplighter Ministries Team
P.S. For an incredible read that showcases cheerful endurance, I highly recommend a book that I am currently reading called Evidence Not Seen, the true story of WWII missionary, Darlene Deibler Rose. But be forewarned! Once you get into this book, you will not want to put it down!
Weekly Bible Memory (You can use whatever version of the Bible you prefer): 25 points per passage - additional passages may be memorized for 25 points each (up to 3 verses constitutes a passage)
Ages 6-10
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8:25).
Ages 10-13
“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11).
Ages 14+
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Weekly Bible Reading/Book: 5 points per chapter read - any chapter of the Bible may be read anytime during the challenge for 5 points each.
Philippians
Reading List for Patience: * 1 point per page read - any Lamplighter book/Lamplighter resource book/non-fiction [biography, spiritual growth, informational] may be ready anytime throughout the challenge 1 point per page.
Ages 6-11
Basil; Or Honesty and Industry
Three Weavers, The (Illustrated)
Ages 9-14
Ages 12+
*You may read any Lamplighter book at any time throughout the challenge. This list is only recommendations that go along with this week’s theme.
Creative Assignment: A Sea Shanty for the Soul! (25 points)
Sea shanties were songs sung by sailors as they worked on a ship to pass the time quickly and cheerfully. A surefire way to learn to cheerfully endure in all circumstances is to give thanks! So, in light of this truth, take one of your favorite Psalms of Thanksgiving (i.e. Psalm 89, 107, 118) and put it to music! Once you have a melody for the words, you can sing it, notate it, or even add instruments. You can also perform your song for family or friends when you are done, sharing with others the many reasons to be thankful to God!
If you’re not musically inclined, you can choose to write a poem inspired by the Psalms of Thanksgiving, adding the things that you are thankful for in your own life.
*Submit your Creative Assignment (video or written) to Lamplighter HERE and award yourself 15 bonus points! Assignments need to be submitted by July 8th, 2024, in order to receive the bonus points.
Practical Assignment: Letters to Home (50 points)
Pretend that you are writing a letter to a loved one far away (like Paul who wrote to the early churches, or a sailor writing home while on a long voyage), and tell of a time that you went through a difficult situation and share how God helped you to get through it. Write of the people, Scripture, or songs that He used to comfort you or change your heart during that time. Remembering how God has helped us in the past (and sharing that with others) is an amazing reminder of the reason that we have hope! This is optional, but if you want to, you can actually send this letter to a friend, family member, or someone who needs encouragement.
*For those who are in the pre-reader category, you may draw or color a picture depicting how God helped you through a difficult situation.
Additional Resources on Diligence: (Blog Posts; Podcasts) 5 points for each recommended blog read/podcast listened to.
Blog - Exceedingly Great Joy in the Book of Jude
Blog - I Quit
Podcast - Facing Adversity with Joy
Podcast - Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
Podcast - The Joy of the Lord is My Strength
Don’t forget to tag us @lamplighterministries
to share with us how you and your family are completing the challenge!
