Be Patient!

[soso]

Be Patient!

Psalm 37:7

When we read the Bible, it seems like miracles happened /every day, 

but it wasn’t really that way. 

In the Old Testament,

for example, God performed amazing miracles /when he freed his people /from slavery in Egypt. 

First there were ten plagues /to convince Pharaoh to let God’s people go. 

Then, when Pharaoh sent his army after the slaves, 

God parted the Red Sea so his people could escape from the Egyptian soldiers.

And if that weren’t miracle enough, God closed the sea /at just the right time /so the entire army drowned!

That’s a lot of miracles one right after the other, but God’s people had waited four hundred years for these miracles to begin.

For four hundred years they were slaves

and held onto God’s promise //that they would one day be free to go to their Promised Land.

Four hundred years is nearly twice /as long as the United States has existed /as a country.

It’s a long, long time.

Not many people like to wait;

and they especially don’t like to wait a long time for something () they really want.

How about you? 

Do you get impatient /when the Internet connection isn’t fast enough 

or when the microwave seems to take too long?

It can be even harder /when God is the one () we’re waiting for, hoping () he will do something.

What do you wish () God would do /for you? 

Are you praying /about it? 

Are you waiting /for an answer?

God knows [what you need ] /better than you do.

He cares about [you].

Patience helps us wait quietly /knowing () God is going to give us exactly what we need.

Dear Lord, I have a hard time waiting.

I know () you have plans //that are much bigger than anything () I can think of.

Help me to wait patiently for you to answer my prayer. Amen.