December 15, 2020
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14
“Wait” is the key word in the last sentence of the 27th psalm. “Wait” is also an important word for Advent.
What an important word for our time! In airports, at offices and homes, in stores and on phones, people are waiting. Anxious relatives in hospitals, sorrowing bereaved in mortuaries, distraught insomniacs, the unemployed, and the elderly are waiting. At present we are waiting for THE VACCINE!
Not too many people wait “for the sunrise.” I think more people wait for the sunset, looking forward to going home to rest and relax after a long day of work or activities, or to meet a loved one, or to plan an evening of fun and excitement.
“Wait” is a neutral word into which we insert an amazing variety of content. To the psalmist the word was positive and submissive. To wait on the Lord may mean that:
– the time for special action is his time, not ours, so let us bide our time until He discloses the moment of action;
– the task is greater than our strength, so let us rely on His greater resources;
– the type of service desired by the Lord has not yet been made known, or clarified, so let us wait on His divine intervention.
Meditate on these possibilities for a moment and then pray: O resourceful God, in whose loving care we place our lives each day, forgive our misuse of time and help us to wait patiently and intelligently for your guidance. Amen
Pastor Joel Bjerkestrand