Patience

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!" But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the Lord!" As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40:1-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬
If there ever was a chapter that confirms the benefits of being patient this is it. If your anything like me, being patient isn't always easy. I think being patient is a constant struggle that involves letting go of the idea of being in control. When your in control, supposedly you get say how and when things will happen...right? Sounds good but that thinking is seriously flawed and quite often ends badly.
David starts this chapter by talking about how he waited patiently on the Lord and how God heard his cry and then rescued him. Have you ever found your self in a place that was so dark that you felt like there was no way out? That's a scary place to find yourself but the great news is that our God is watching over you and he's just waiting for you to release the controls and let Him rescue you.
Our God loves us so much that he sent his only Son to die on a cross for us...covering us with mercy and grace and providing rescue from eternal damnation. Just like David was provided rescue by God, we to can rest in knowing that God has us in the palm of His hand!


Jerry