Prayer: Merciful God, grant us patience as we seek your guidance, in Christ. Amen.
God’s blessings are worth the wait.
(Adapted from Christ in Our Home – daily devotions)
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
I have said before that I am guilty of not having much patience. Many of us are challenged with having to wait for checkout at the market, or waiting to board the airplane, or especially in heavy traffic. Indeed, what can be worse than waiting to talk to tech support and navigating the computerized, automated answering services. I have a simple question and none of the automated selections have the answers, but it can take an hour just to get to a live person, who may or may not have the answers I need. It is often a waste of time.
Our devotion writer tells us that our faith equips us to wait on God without all the stress and anxiety. “Oh God, give me patience!” I say. But…courage, strength, and even joy is in store if we can put our hope in God. He promises to “never leave us or forsake us.” These are good words to remember when we are looking for God to answer our prayers. They are also good words to share with others and to believe that God has not brought us this far just to leave us hanging.
And so, we need to take our seat in the spiritual waiting room of faith. And in the words of our devotion writer, “God can transform our waiting time into a season of preparation and heightened expectations. God’s blessings are always worth the wait.”
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.
Prayer: “Gracious One, free us from the burdens of doubt that keep us from trusting more fully in you. Amen.”
Lamentations 3:22-33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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.
27 It is good for one to bear
the yoke in youth,
28 to sit alone in silence
when the Lord has imposed it,
29 to put one’s mouth to the dust
(there may yet be hope),
30 to give one’s cheek to the smiter
and be filled with insults.
31 For the Lord will not
reject forever.
32 Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve anyone.
Gary's Devotion Comments 