(The apostles) left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing
that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop
teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus. (Acts
5:41-42)
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the
land of the living. Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait
for the Lord. (Psalm 27:13-14)
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was
coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to
eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to
do. (John 6:5-6)
Piety
Lord, I
pray for the faith and confidence to accept Your will and Your timing.
Study
Have you
played the phone game? You know, the one where everyone at dinner puts their
smart phones in a pile. First one to extract his or hers has to buy everyone
else’s meals. With most groups, someone will cave before the entrée comes.
Because someone might need them, you see. Someone whose need could not wait
even an hour until the meal is complete. And you wonder, so why did they come
out to dinner if something else is that all-fired important?
Or maybe
you’re one of those people who weaves in and out traffic, cutting it just a
little too tight between other vehicles when you change lanes. What happens
when you end up at the light at the same time as someone you blew past? Well,
you avoid their eyes, of course.
Or maybe
you talk over family and friends and coworkers. There’s no need for them to
finish their comments. You know what they’re going to say. You’ve already planned
your response, based on what you know they’re going to say.
Is it any
wonder, given the way we conduct our lives today, that we have little patience
for God? Bless me, and bless me quick. Heal me, and heal me quick. We offer up
our hopes and dreams in prayer, and if the desired answer doesn’t come
posthaste, we question His wisdom and His love. We forget about the times God’s
answers, which came in His time, not ours, were more wonderful than anything we
could have ever imagined.
“Wait for
the Lord with courage; be stouthearted and wait for the Lord,” the author of
today’s Psalm, believed to be King David, advised. Consider David’s own life;
the times he showed patience and restraint and faith, he prospered. The times
he took matters into his own hands, things got messed up royally. Let’s learn
from his example. Let’s have the courage to wait.
Action
Where are
you attempting to hurry God along? Resolve that today, you will gratefully
accept the gifts He offers, asking for nothing more.
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