Waiting . . .

WOW! What a Week it has been now it's FRIDAY and we are getting ready for the weekend but lets take a moment to reflect on this. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. —Romans 12:12 Day after day for years Harry shared with the Lord his concern for his son-in-law John who had turned away from God. But then Harry died. A few months later, John turned back to God. When his mother-in-law Marsha told him that Harry had been praying for him every day, John replied, “I waited too long.” But Marsha joyfully shared: “The Lord is still answering the prayers Harry prayed during his earthly life.” Harry’s story is an encouragement to us who pray and wait. He continued “steadfastly in prayer” and waited patiently (Rom. 12:12). The author of Psalm 130 experienced waiting in prayer. He said, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits” (v.5). He found hope in God because he knew that “with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption” (v.7). Author Samuel Enyia wrote about God’s timing: “God does not depend on our time. Our time is chronological and linear but God . . . is timeless. He will act at the fullness of His time. Our prayer . . . may not necessarily rush God into action, but . . . places us before Him in fellowship.” What a privilege we have to fellowship with God in prayer and to wait for the answer in the fullness of His time. —Anne Cetas Pray on! Pray on! Cease not to pray, And should the answer tarry, wait; Thy God will come, will surely come, And He can never come too late. —Chisholm God may delay our request, but He will never disappoint our trust. Bible in a year: Judges 4-6; Luke 4:31-44 Insight Psalm 130 is one of the pilgrim songs (Pss. 120–134) the people of Israel sang as they made their way to the temple to celebrate the three national festivals (Deut. 16:16). In this psalm, the writer was deeply distressed by his own sinfulness and earnestly cried out for God’s mercy (130:1-2). Yet, he was able to confidently affirm, “But there is forgiveness with You” (v.4). Finding hope in God’s Word (v.5) and being assured that “with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption” (v.7), he patiently waited for God’s pardon and removal of his guilt (vv.6,8). In response, he invited the congregation to fear God (v.4) and to celebrate His unmerited and undeserved grace (v.8).