Friday June 19, 2020

Psalms 40:1-11 ​

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
    but my ears you have opened—
    burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

9 I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Do you like to wait? What is it like for you to wait in line, wait for your number to be called, wait for your doctor to see you or, perhaps, wait for an operator after being on hold for 15 minutes? Sometimes it seems like hours of waiting….Why do we wait if it is so difficult and trying? Do you wait begrudgingly or patiently?

The writer of Psalms waits and waits patiently on God. Why? Because he trusts in God and has hope in God’s love and faithfulness. His trust and hope is grounded in God’s love and faithfulness in the past. Whenever he has cried out, God has answered, eventually.

He is so sure of this that he has proclaimed God’s faithfulness and witnessed to God’s love to everyone he knows or meets. He is committed to waiting patiently and trusting in God.

Are we crying out to God and then waiting patiently? Or are we crying out and waiting impatiently? Do we not have as much reason to hope and trust in God as does the Psalmist? Do we spend our time waiting, complaining or PROCLAIMING?

I have found the answer to the last question is directly related to our level of trust in God’s love and faithfulness. The more we trust God, the more likely we will wait patiently proclaiming God’s love and faithfulness. We hope because God has answered in the past, even if we had to wait.

So how will you wait the next time? Will you spend your time complaining or proclaiming God’s love and faithfulness for all to hear?

Lord, let your peace rule in my heart. Help me to live in your grace each day through the waiting. Help me to bring you glory as I wait in expectation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.