May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy Colossians 1:11
Patience with joy.
Happy to wait.
Seems contradictory. Contra-indicated.
Hard.
But it is his gift…his enablement. And our choice.
PRAYER: God, you give us all good gifts. As we wait on you, for you, and with you, help us to consider what we have, where we are, and what will come…all things with an attitude and action of pure joy. Amen.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
He loves you too much to leave you where you are. “It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars.” He’s still working. Life is journey. Growth is process.
PRAYER: Thank you Creator God for your commitment to finishing the work you started in me. Amen.
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Psalm 25:5
Are you waiting? Think it has no purpose? Have you looked for what you’re supposed to be learning? Have you listened to the teacher, the Master?
Start by looking for the truth…and wait.
When my grandson was very young any long period of time was dubbed, “Allllll day.” You could ask how long he had been playing with his cars and he would be respond, “Alllll day.” It could been five or ten minutes, but his response was always the same.
How long have you been waiting? No matter how long, wait for Him, “Alllll day.”
PRAYER: God, you are such a patient teacher. Forgive us for failing to look for, listen to, and heed the lessons. We know we have much to learn. Help us to stick with it “Alllll day.” Amen.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. (Psalm 25:21, ESV)
It’s been said that integrity is doing what is right when no one is looking.
Sometimes, when we have to wait, we can get ourselves into trouble thinking, “No one’s watching, what difference will it make?”
Someone is always watching. You are never alone. God knows.
Let your integrity preserve you…wait for him.
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. (Isaiah 30:18, ESV)
He asks no less of us than he would do for us.
PRAYER: God, I want to live like you. Teach me to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly after you. Amen.
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. (Lamentations 3:25, ESV)
What counsel do you think you might get from Abraham on this? Abe knew the disaster of not waiting on God. And we’ve been paying for it every since.
I wish I had a dollar for every time I told my children to wait for me, to not rush ahead, to trust me. I always had (and continue to have) their best interests at heart.
God is the perfect father. Wait for his timing. Trust him. Seek him. What he has for you is good.
PRAYER: God, our good and loving Father. Grow trust in my heart. Show me most clearly where and how you are working in my life. I want to see you…I seek you. I love you. Amen.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2Peter 3:9, ESV)
There is still time to pray for that friend, neighbor, or family member who has never placed their life and faith in God.
He wants that for everyone.
He is working things to that end.
PRAYER: God you are so patient with us. You are persistent. Help us to persist in prayer for those who have not reached repentance. Hear our prayers for others. Thank you for your patience with our slowness. Amen.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7-8, ESV)
Good fruit and plenteous harvest take time.
Have you ever tried to rush fruits or vegetables?
I would rather have a vine ripe tomato over a hydroponic rushed to market tomato everyday of the week.
We rush things. When we’re young we can’t wait to grow up. We can’t wait for school to be over.
All things in due season.
Even the Lord’s return. Some are longing for it. Others have too much on their plate to give it much thought.
James encourages the believers to establish themselves. It means to stand firm. Be ready.
PRAYER: God who is coming again. Forgive us for not looking, not caring, trying to rush, or trying to delay your return. Assure us you have not forgotten, help us to wait…expectantly, as the farmer awaits the harvest. Amen.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14, ESV)
I don’t know about you, but when I think about waiting, the first thing that comes to my mind is not courage.
Boredom, frustration, inconvenience, yes. But not courage.
Waiting can take strength and courage.
Perhaps what you are waiting on is way more than a long line at Walmart.
Perhaps the news you are waiting for…or the person you are waiting for…or the call you are waiting for makes your fear-full, or weary, or alone.
Perhaps you have been waiting a long time…so long that no one else gets the ache in your heart.
God does and if you are waiting in him, you will see his goodness. Draw your strength and courage from that…from him.
PRAYER: God, waiting isn’t easy. I know your people waited a long time for the Messiah to come. I’ve been waiting, too. I want to see your goodness. I need strength and courage to keep waiting in you. Thank you. Amen.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31, ESV)
I love the image of the soaring eagle: strength, power, all things positive.
I’m thankful, though, God through the prophet made sure to include those who run, and those who walk.
For the truth is: I don’t always soar. Sometimes I feel weary and faint. And that’s when I cling to this promise.
Life is not a sprint. We’re in this for the long haul.
The good news is when we “wait,” we will find all the strength, power, and ability to face whatever is at hand.
The Hebrew concept used here is one of cords intertwined like rope. The prophet wants us to understand how our strength will come as we weave God more completely into our lives.
This is intentional. It takes time and effort.
But it’s worth it.
Don’t just wait…wait on God.
PRAYER: God of strength who wants to strengthen us. Nudge us, draws into ways that weave you more thoroughly into our lives. Amen.
Pot of Manna 