Monday, July 20, 2015

Monday, July 20: Psalms 26-28; Acts 15:1-21 by Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 26-28; Acts 15:1-21

Scripture: 
Psalm 27:14 
Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!


Observation: Being a Christian does not mean things will come easy or that you won't be tested.

Application: I think that sometimes we believe that as Christians that our life should just go well. We look at evil that is prospering and people who are following lifestyles contrary to God's design as we scratch our heads and wonder why God would allow that to happen. I don't know about you...but I hate waiting. I like to be in control and know exactly what is going to happen. I like to plan and I like to see those plans work out exactly as I have planned them. However, that seldom happens. God is working in my heart and in my life to realize that He has things all worked out even when what I have in mind does not go the way I would have liked.

I once heard that God answers all prayers immediately in one of three ways:

Yes.

No.

Wait.

I would have to say that "yes" is most often the way we would want our prayers to be answered. "No" may not be our preferred answer but it usually means that we can adjust our plans and still move forward. When the answer is "wait" then we struggle. How long will the wait be? Is this "wait" going to become a "yes" or a "no"? When we will know? How can I wait? Why do I need to wait? and it goes on...

I love that this verse ends with an exclamation mark. To see it means that David is implying that we should wait with excitement...with anticipation knowing that God is at work behind the scene with a big reveal on the horizon. We are told to "be strong" and to "take courage" in our wait.

Two couples in our circle are waiting for a child. One is pursuing an adoption. One is waiting for God to bring a child to full term. They are waiting on God...waiting on God's timing...waiting for their prayers to be answered. It's so hard to wait.

A friend of ours is job searching. He is waiting on God...waiting on God's timing...waiting for prayers to be answered.

We are all in various stages of waiting. It can be so hard. May we have patience in God's timing.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for always hearing our prayers. We know that You always have our best interests in mind. We know you have big things planned for each of us. Give us patience and peace as we wait. Thank you for this reminder that we are to wait with eager anticipation for what You will reveal to us in Your time. Amen.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Psalms 29-30; Acts 15:22-41

3 comments:

Tammy said...

Psalm 26 almost seemed like a plea for God to listen to what He said in Psalm 1. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers

In Psalm 26 David says he will not sit with the wicked, and men of falsehood; that he has walked in integrity and in God's faithfulness; and that his foot stands on level ground.

Nathan said...

When I hear about waiting in prayer I automatically think of this verse in Isaiah 40:30,

"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."

I too have a hard time waiting, but clearly waiting on The Lord is a good thing. He knows what timing is best.

Conrad said...

Waiting for a ride, waiting for paint to dry, waiting in a long line up, or waiting for something to come on sale. It is not fun, and it is not easy to do. Sometimes I have called someone shortly after texting them because I could not wait for an answer.

When we are waiting, we are not in control. We need to place that control on God, and like the verse that Nathan quoted, our strength will be renewed!