Today’s Lenten word comes from Psalm 130 The Message
1-2 Help, GOD—I’ve hit rock bottom!
Master, hear my cry for help!
Listen hard! Open your ears!
Listen to my cries for mercy.
3-4 If you, GOD, kept records on wrongdoings,
who would stand a chance?
As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,
and that’s why you’re worshiped.
5-6 I pray to GOD—my life a prayer—
and wait for what [God will] say and do.
My life’s on the line before God, my Lord,
waiting and watching till morning,
waiting and watching till morning.
7-8 O Israel, wait and watch for GOD—
with GOD’s arrival comes love,
with GOD’s arrival comes generous redemption.
No doubt about it—[God will] redeem Israel,
buy back Israel from captivity to sin.
Today’s meditation word is wait. It comes from the Hebrew word ‘yachal’ meaning to wait, await, to hope or have hoped.
In this passage, the Psalmist encouraged oneself to trust in God and to wait for God. Waiting is difficult especially when we are living in a fast-paced world where answers are wanted now. Waiting for pedestrians to cross, following a slow driver, losing weight, etc. become unbearable. We want everything to be done and to be answered and to be accomplished right away, as fast as possible.
Also in this passage, there is a sense that God is far away, and God needs to travel so God can be in the presence of the people waiting. In some passages, the scripture says that God is always near, is in our midst, is always with us. You do not need to wait for God to answer your prayer because you are the answer to the prayer you pray. You do not wait for God to arrive because God is here.
Just something to think about while you wait for the weekend to start.
