Life Is a Series of Waiting in Lines

Daily Reading: Revelation 10-11

Scripture Focus: And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay. (Revelation 10.5-6)

Devotional Thought: I have been told life is a series of waiting in lines. “Patience is a virtue,” they say.  We learn to wait from a very young age, and the "waiting muscle" is built up over the course of our lives. How good it is to know that one day, “There will be no more delay” (v. 6).

In the final few weeks of my pregnancy, it seemed all I did was hurry up and wait. When the time was right, she would come; and so she did (with a little help!). However, in the period of waiting, we could not sit idly by and spring into action at the last moment. There was a preparation that came with waiting: we packed the hospital bag, we prepared for the drive, we wrote a birth plan, I saw the doctor, and so on. Our little angel didn’t just show up one day by surprise.

Waiting for the day when, “There will be no more delay” is quite similar. Jesus will come when the Lord knows it is right. Until then, we must be in the preparation phase: making space for him in our hearts, living our lives according to the Word, doing the Kingdom work that we have been called to do. We have learned down through generations that Jesus is coming back. We are building that very patient muscle. We have faith and hope in knowing that one day, “There will be no more delay” and we will see Jesus at last.

Megan Barrett

Prayer: Lord, humble us as we learn to be patient. Help us to depend on you when our hearts cry out for answers and the desire for home. As you have declared, “One day there will be no more delay.” Help us to remember and live according to your Word in the waiting. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 103.6-14

6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.