How Long O Lord?

The ability to be patient seems to be harder and harder to master as time goes by. Maybe we grow more impatient as we age. Or, maybe the very definition of patience has changed as society has modernized to make almost everything instant. We are living in an age where we are quickly accelerating to an entire world at our fingertips that neither requires nor teaches the ability to wait.

As Christians, we are encouraged to be patient and wait on the Lord: for His return, for His timing and for His justice. Unlike believers in the past whose very existent relied on patience (food preparation, travel, delivery of goods, etc...), modern-day believers must purposefully practice and learn patience in an impatient world. Many of our schedules have become so full that we cannot spare an additional minute of the day!

The writer of The Book of Psalms talks a lot about patience. In fact, several passages read as a guide on how we can work towards being more patient. Let's look at three specific verses:

• Chapter 27, verse 14 Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. It takes courage to wait on the Lord and follow His will. When we do, He will strengthen us mentally and physically.

• Chapter 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. I love this verse because it provides the assurance that trusting in the Lord is far better than trusting in this world. If we place all our burdens at His feet, He will provide the peace we need to be patient.

• Chapter 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined me and heard my cry. From experience, David shares that God does hear our cries for help.

Are you feeling worried or anxious about something? Do you feel like God is not acting fast enough on your prayer requests? If so, I encourage you to spend time in His word and in His presence with the assurance that you can wait patiently with Jesus' help. When you do, the question of "How much long?" seems to lose its power over you...

Pastor Aaron