Saturday, December 7, 2019
Lamentations 3:22-26
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Worthwhile Waiting
How often have we repeated the phrase “I can’t wait for…”?
“I can’t wait for Christmas.” “I can’t wait for my birthday.’ “I can’t wait for vacation.” “I can’t wait for graduation.” “I can’t wait to get married.” “I can’t wait to have children.” “I can’t wait for the baby to take his first steps.” “I can’t wait till he’s out of diapers.” “I can’t wait to retire.” And so forth for the big events in life.
On a more everyday level: “I can’t wait till this rain is over.” “I can’t wait for bedtime – I’m exhausted.” “I can’t wait for Friday night – we’re going to that new restaurant.” “I can’t wait for that new book to be available at the library.” “I can’t wait for my dentist appointment (!) so I can have my teeth taken care of.”
During Advent season we are reminded to “wait for the Lord.” The truth is we may not get what we hope for on Christmas or our birthday; we may not enjoy our vacation as much as we had hoped; we may not graduate or marry or have children. Sometimes a much-anticipated event is cancelled.
But our wait for the Lord’s salvation will be rewarded. We can be sure that the Lord’s steadfast love and his mercies are new every morning. When we are impatient, it may help to remember a favorite hymn or song, such as the beautiful and calming music accompanied by the simple lyric, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Let us pray. Lord, may we always remember that your unfailing love is forever with us. May we wait patiently for your salvation. Amen.
Submitted by: Chris Gradijan