It’s hard to wait when you want things to happen right now.  As if held back in neutral when gears are raring to roar into drive.  When I pray, and it doesn’t happen, then I start to wonder if some sin hasn’t put the kibosh on it.  Okay, I’m forgiven, but what about my comeupance?  Those dreaded consequences. 

When you think about it, my mind’s image doesn’t sound like the God I know from the Bible.  More like me.  Tit for tat.  An eye for an eye.  As good as one gets.  Payback time.  Not so my Lord.  He loves me and thinks the world of me…and you.  What He wants is for us to untangle those looney thoughts, putting them more in line with what the Bible says.  Too much to ask?

Let’s check out Psalm 69: 13–‘But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.  At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.’  Prayer’s answer comes in an acceptable time.  Whose time?  Mine?  Probably not.  More like God’s plans.  His will.  His call.   Galatians 4: 4-5 announces God’s acceptable and impecable timing–‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of woman…to redeem…so that we might receive adoption as sons.’

Old Testament saints pray for millenia that Messiah will come and save them.  We also must wait for God’s ‘fullness of time’.  Whatever prayer we utter to God, step back, cool your heels, hold onto Jesus’ hands and never, ever let go until answers come of God’s own choosing and timing.  Not mine, not yours or anyone else’s.  We bow to Him alone.

Here’s more.  Psalm 31: 14-15–“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’  My times are in your hands…”  That hits the nail on the head, doesn’t it?

Lord Jesus, help me to trust you more and more.  Amen.