The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of April 12
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.” For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:1-4)
As a kid, it always seemed as though highly anticipated holidays and events like Christmas, birthdays or summer vacation took forever to arrive. Time moved slowly, especially when expectations were high.
As we age, time seems to accelerate. Yet even as adults, there are circumstances when the wait for something important – like results from a medical test, healing from an illness or news about a new job or a promotion – feels interminable.
We might wonder why God is not responding to our prayers or acting promptly on our behalf. Does He hear me? we wonder. Does He care? we quietly ask ourselves. We pray, and we hope for or even expect immediate results – proof that God has heard and answered.
Psalm 90 reminds us, however, that God does not operate within our manmade sense of time. He is not limited by our clocks and calendars. God operates within an eternal timeline, which means we may not see the results of His work today, tomorrow or perhaps even in our lifetime.
This can feel frustrating and disappointing. God’s seeming lack of response and compassion can sow doubt and distrust in us. And yet, it is especially in these moments when our prayers seem to go unanswered that we are called to have faith – to be “sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
The paradox inherent in faith is that we can have faith even in our doubt and disappointment. Faith is remembering that we are part of a much bigger picture – bigger than we can ever possibly see or understand. Faith is trusting in God’s love and goodness, even amid our disappointment.
Holy Father, help me keep a big-picture perspective. Help me remember and believe that You are always working for good, even when I can’t see the results. Strengthen my faith, Lord, and shore up my trust in You. Amen.