Psalm 33:20-22
Our souls wait for the Lord. He is our help and our shield. Yes, in him our heart rejoices, because we trust in his holy name. May your mercy, O Lord, be on us, even as we wait confidently for you.
Applying God’s Word for today: Waiting with confidence and patience
A lack of patience and a lack of confidence often challenge many people; they almost work hand in hand against us. We like to know “right now” the results of almost anything we do. We don’t want to hear the words, “We will get back to you soon to let you know what we decided!” Why? Because we live in this fallen world; our pride gets in the way. How many of us fall back on the notion, “I will just do it myself!”? But self-reliance has no place when it comes to our sins. The problem with our sins is not impatience but a lack of confidence in God, leading us to want to do it ourselves.
There is nothing we can do to undo the punishment our sins deserve. God sent His Son to bear the punishment for our sins. Jesus suffered, died, and rose again so that by faith in Him, we have salvation and eternal life. Only by faith can we wait confidently for the Lord. While we will face struggles in this life, God uses them for our good as He brings us to the glory of heaven. He never says we will be without problems in our lives. However, know that the Lord is our help and shield. He will never leave us or forsake us; He sets the boundaries on what we must endure. When we wait for the Lord and our lives end, God has already fulfilled the promise of salvation and the hope of eternal life; it is already but not yet, for those who believe.
Strengthen your faith by being in God’s word so you can be confident in God’s love for you. Then, out of love for God, share the good news of God’s gifts with someone who does not know His love. Wait for the Lord, because this life ends much sooner than you can imagine. With faith in Him, He will help and shield you along life’s journey; He is your loving Father.
Dear Lord God, strengthen our faith so we can wait with confidence, knowing you will protect and watch over us. Let us hold you to your promise as we trust in you. Keep us in the one true faith until this life ends. Grant us insight and opportunity to share the good news of salvation with someone who does not know or trust you, so that they, too, will wait in faith for you to take us home to be with you in heaven forever. Amen.
The waiting game is never fun or easy, and doing it confidently, without doubting that the results will be for our good, can only be done by faith in the Lord. Rejoice with David, trusting with surety in the love God has for you—He sent Jesus to redeem you.