Last week I wrote this post intending to use it as an Instagram post. I decided though, that I didn’t want it to get lost in a newsfeed sea and that I didn’t want you all to miss out on God’s message for me last week. I hope that through sharing it here it becomes not just God’s message for me but for you as well. i hope you receive more of Him through this verse and this message.
11/23/16: Wednesday morning, Psalm 130.
Last night, I went to bed praying; asking and begging God to show up. The past few weeks, I have spent a lot of time wondering where He is and struggling to be thankful for this season before I leave on the World Race.
This morning I woke up way before my alarm and picked up my bible. I did not know where to look, but I felt the tug and need to search out truth through the Word.
This specific page was bookmarked with an index card. As I was flipping towards the gospels (my go to), it caught my eye. Specifically this Psalm (130) caught my eye. Probably because as you can see, at some point the passage struck a cord with me and I marked it up. I can’t remember when or why or what I received from it when I first marked it up, but I imagine I received much of the same as I did this morning. At some point, I underlined and circled these parts, not knowing then that I was marking the truths I would need today.
There is a lot in the short passage but what stood out to me most this morning is where it speaks of waiting patiently for the Lord and talks of putting our hope in Him. Wow, what an appropriate passage when I’m in a season of waiting.
Think about the lines “my souls waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.” It’s so important that it is said twice! Think of what watchmen do. Watchmen are guards, sentinels, custodians. They wait with expectation of the morning, when their shift will be over. They know their shift is over when the sun rises. What they do not know is what will happen during their watch. Until the sun rises, they must be aware and on their guard, expectant and observant. Their purpose is to look and see and watch and wait.
Even at the hardest or darkest times, I know one thing, the Lord will show up. As I’m waiting, I know He is still working. I can look and see that He is still good. I can watch and wait for His provision. And during the time of waiting, I must be on my guard against the devil’s schemes and against my own sin nature and tendency towards my own will. While I’m waiting, I can be observant towards what the Lord is showing me. Too often I put my hope in myself and in my own abilities and forget the Lord is my strength. I forget too often His steadfast love. He doesn’t keep a list of all those times I’ve turned to myself or to the world. He doesn’t keep a record of all those times I let my guard down or became angry or unthankful or even abandoned my watch. He unwaveringly waits for me and when I look back to Him, He never even mentions I left or failed in the first place.
Even more steady than the morning sun, the Lord reigns and loves me. I will put my hope in the sureness of Him. I will wait, expectant and hopeful and on my guard until He returns. And during this season, I know He will show up, maybe not how I expect Him to, but He will show up. Maybe not how I want Him to, BUT HE WILL SHOW UP. And His ways are higher than my own.
Thank You Lord, for not making a list of my iniquities, for being the only thing in life that is constant. Thank You for always showing up in Your timing and growing me while I wait. You are good and you are more sure even than the morning sun. I pray for patience as I wait, I pray for strength as I wait and I wait with full expectation of the fulfillment of Your promises. I pray during the waiting, I wouldn’t be complacent or angry or unthankful. I pray I wouldn’t abandon my watch. Give me strength to wait and hope in You and strength to keep on my guard. Thank You for not always giving me the things I want. Thank You for not always giving me things in the way that I want them or when I want them. Thank You for always having a better plan for me than I have for myself. Thank you God. You are the sure and steady. I love you Abba, Papa, sweet father. And thank You for loving me.
Amen.
