In the Waiting - a short devotion

In the Waiting

I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts—men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:4-5

When my family moved to Washington State, the new home was empty and clean except for a tiny, plastic figure of Jesus under the sink counter. My young adult children found it funny that Jesus was "watching" us so they hid it in my room and I promptly forgot about it. Days later, they were shocked I hadn’t found it yet.

“Where is Jesus?” my son said, half-mocking. I searched. High, low, on ledges—I could not find it. I gave up, convinced they hadn’t put it in my room. It wasn’t until later that evening that I saw it sitting precariously on a door handle I never use…just inches from where I passed several times a day!

Sometimes, we look for Jesus but can’t see him anywhere. Frustrated, we give up, convinced he’s not around, not available or not willing to show himself. We move on with our lives, holding a grudge against Jesus for not being present when we need him. Weeks and months go by before something changes—a revelation or an answered prayer—and suddenly we realize he was there all along, always present, always within reach.

The space between seeking and revelation have more importance than we first realize. What we do in this period—which we begrudgingly refer to as "waiting"—has a profound impact on our future spiritual and emotional health. By spending the waiting time in frustration, we cause distance between us and God, we put undue stress on the brain and body and we allow it to seep into our other relationships. This type of waiting breeds impatience, anger and anxiety.

Conversely, we have the opportunity to take this time in the waiting and do something different: practice worship. The psalmists do this over and over, at times leaning into songs of lament but always moving back to songs of praise. Read today’s verses above. The psalm is much longer as David weaves in and out of acknowledging the current worries of life (in his case, literal threats upon his life) and praising God. God had promised kingship to David and yet here he was, running for his life! He doesn’t sugarcoat the situation (v. 4), but gives an honest appeal for mercy, crying out for God’s protection (v. 1-2). Then, in the waiting for God’s intervention, David chooses to praise God (v. 5), acknowledging his love and faithfulness (v. 3, 10).

What are you waiting on? What have you prayed for that remains unanswered? In the waiting, be honest about how you feel. Cry out for God’s protection and provisions. Then, move into praise of who God is. Acknowledge his character. Give examples from the past when he proved this character. Because in the waiting, while you are busy looking for him and wondering why you can’t find him, he really is near to you, just inches away.

Thank you, Jesus, for being with me even when I can’t see you. I'm still praying for ______, and I feel ______ that this hasn't been answered yet. But I praise you for being _______ (ex: faithful, active, present, gracious, loving, protective, etc.). I know you are this because _______ (name an example, whether from your own life, someone else's or in the Bible). Help me to remember this about you throughout my day. Amen.

Today’s meditation: Jesus is near, and he is faithful