Tuesday November 30, 2021

Today is Tuesday, November 30 and during this first week of Advent we explore what the Bible says about waiting.

As I begin this time of prayer, I pause and become still. I breathe slowly and deeply, and focus my mind on the abiding presence of God.

Pause and Pray

Lord God, I worship and praise you. You are holy and mighty; you are God. I wait patiently to hear your voice. Reveal the message you have for me today through the power of your Holy Spirit. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

I rejoice in God and praise him with the ancient words of Psalm 37.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this; he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:3-7

Pause and Pray

The Old Testament book of Habakkuk is unique in that it is a conversation between the prophet and God instead of a prophetic word announced to the nation of Judah. Habakkuk prophesied during the reign of King Jehoiakim when the threat of the Babylonian invasion was increasing. He reflected on what was about to happen and complained to God about unpunished evil and sin. God was clear that he was indeed in control of the situation and that despite the sins and evil of the world, God’s kingdom of justice and righteousness would not linger, it was coming.

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:1-3

Like Habakkuk, I station myself on the ramparts of my life and stand overlooking my circumstances and situation. What do I see when I view the world around me? Where do I see good and where do I see evil in the world? Where do I see good and evil in me? I invite God to come into the world and come into my heart and set things right. Come Lord, and set things right. How long will it take for God to come and answer my prayers? Does it seem like God lingers? Is there a delay? God promises there will be justice, that his kingdom will come and his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Bible promises that Jesus Christ will come again and vanquish sin once and for all and rule the world in peace and love. Yet, we wait. It lingers. This is the in-between time, for Christ has come and he reigns in heaven but his promised return has not yet been realized.

Ask: What places in my life am I waiting on God to set things right? Where does it seem like God lingers or delays action?

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, you are my life, my salvation and my hope. I look to see what you will say to me, and wait for the answer you will give me. Make your word plain for me so that I will understand your truth. I wait for you, I am confident you will certainly come and you will not delay. I trust your timing is perfect for me and my circumstances. I read Habakkuk again, listening for the message you have for me today.

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:1-3

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

Like Habakkuk, I remember times when I waited on God for an answer to my questions, concerns or prayers. What is the Lord trying to say to me about my personal complaints and requests? What do words like linger, wait and delay stir up in my spirit? When have I stood and watched patiently to see what God would do or say? Was the revelation clear enough to write down? When have I patiently trusted God’s timing for answers and actions in my life and when have I been unwilling to wait? When has God’s lingering caused me to lose faith and doubt God’s goodness or God’s presence in my life? What am I waiting for? I name it before God. I hear the words of God speaking over me regarding my request, “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Pause and Pray

Come, Lord God, I invite you into my life and circumstances. I lay my requests before the throne of your grace and ask you to come and set things right and answer my prayers. Please Lord, do not linger, come quickly. As I wait for your perfect timing, I trust you completely. Amen.

For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. Galatians 5:5

As I leave this time of prayer and go throughout my day, I go with renewed faith, waiting for God to answer my prayers and expecting God to use me to be the answer to someone else’s prayer. Amen.