8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Coming to repentance is Our Father's invitation to listen to His words whispered into our ears that we may understand that He is present at our side at all times encouraging us to do all that He asks of us.
One of the names attributed to The Holy Spirit derived from the Greek παράκλητος (Paraclete) is The Advocate; one who stands at our side, supporting, and representing our best interest.
When many years younger I trod the pilgrim routes of France with the eye of a detective attempting to understand the symbolism of the statues, windows, and busts that adorned most of the larger churches inviting me to appreciate their architectural merits. Each church had several stories to tell their curious visitors enlightening me sufficiently to want to know much more about the history of their earlier congregations and clergy.
A statuette often discovered at those churches is that of a dove speaking into the ear of one of God's faithful children signifying the presence of The Advocate guiding us to make choices that are in sync with The Father's plan.
Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown. ~ Soren Kierkegaard
Often overlooked is the importance of The Advocate's timing asking each of us to remain patient while Our Father's plan for our life takes its time to manifest all that waits for those who trust in God's benevolence.
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” ~ John Bunyan
The Advocate will daily plead with us to help Him, help others providing us with the means to so do. Here there is an understanding that reciprocation ensures that Divine Providence always provides us with the means to fulfil all Our Father's appeal to love Him, by loving all He introduces to us, to assist.
“[To have Faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.” ~ C.S. Lewis
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