I WILL WAIT

 

April 19, 2024


Psalm 37

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

Be still before the LORD 

and wait patiently for him.

I WILL WAIT 

Waiting in line. Waiting for an appointment. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for repair service. Waiting on hold. Waiting for the results of a medical test. Would you agree we wait but not patiently?
Then we show up to worship after a week of waiting “here, there and everywhere” and the first words are from Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” or Psalm 31:24 “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! Then the we sing a song that begins

There is strength within the sorrow
There is beauty in our tears
And you meet us in our mourning
With a love that cast out fear
You are working in our waiting

Followed by another that says “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, as we wait upon the Lord ….”

Our explosion of technology and the availability of online resources at our thumb or fingertips, make it easy to get results, news, or information quickly. Yet when we wait or attempt to access information, we often feel frenzied not patient in the waiting. Am I right?

The psalm 37 refers to a frenzied, chaotic, turbulent state. Think of what we just read; evildoers get cut off. Fretting leads to wickedness, plotting against the righteous, and gnashing at them. But “smack dab” in the middle of these awful verses, the psalmist suggests that we be still before God and wait patiently. That’s counter-intuitive for us isn’t it, in such contexts or initial reaction is to push back to “do” something in response.

We are still in the season of Easter; we have been celebrating and reflecting on the resurrection of Jesus and its implications for our life and our world. Here was occurred to me, Waiting, yes even in frenzied waiting, we share a spiritual journey with other Jesus followers and Faith communities, who are also waiting and also sometimes frenzied. Yet, as the People of God we affirm God’s presence in the world today as we are “still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.” We do this is the confidence of Isaiah 64:4 that says,

Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.


There is a prayer attributed to Saint Augustine that often is used by churches at the receiving of communion, picture it you are about to receive the Bread and Wine, and then the gathered community hears these words: “Remember who you are, become what you receive.” Let us be still and know God’s presence.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

How is waiting with God’s presence an active experience?