Psalm 126: How Does Joy Happen When God Leaves Us Waiting?

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. - Psalm 126

 You did it once, Lord. Would you please do it again? I'm sure that the thought has run through the minds of many Christians: what does it take to get God to act? Sometimes he acts so unexpectedly--when we weren't looking yet there he is, stepping in and getting us out of some unbearable situation. Other times he doesn't act even when the situation seems exactly the same to me, or I am even more desperate. 

I know. I have prayed these prayers, reminding God how much we and everyone else could not believe what happened. But then the next time, when there is a situation where it seems he ought to have the same interest level in rescuing me, he does nothing. Why? I don't know. I know that I have opened up my heart to him and asked him to check all my motives. I have doubted my own sincerity. I have offered all sorts of weird bargains when he didn't answer the way I thought he should. Still no movement.

All we have is the author's promise: "like streams in the Negev [the desert] Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seeds to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them." God moves so dang slowly sometimes that I'm sure I'll be dead before  he finally answers the phone. But the promise is that when God does answer our tears, there will be joy. Streams weren't something that are expected in the desert. I guess his answers come from a direction we didn't expect because we thought it was dry and dead. Where is that?

How many times have we asked how that happens? "He will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Rev. 21:4) How does that work, God? He doesn't say. I certainly don't expect to forget those years, but maybe God's answer changes us so that we see better who he is. I don't know. It's one of the mysteries. But I'm willing to find out. 

Matthew 25:1-12: Do We Really Want What We Say We Hope For?

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ - Matthew 25:1-12

Some of the dangers of waiting to be ready are inherent to waiting, in the same ways that the bridesmaids fell asleep. All ten fell asleep. But there are other dangers that are related to not being prepared for a sudden change. Long waiting can lead to complacency, or assumptions about how really ready you have to me. What I see here is the need to be ready for a change. God has told us all sorts of things that we might be asked to do-be hospitable, be caring, be kind, be generous, or even something as simple as rejoicing or as complicated as Christ returning. The difference between being ready and not being ready is hoping like what is hoped for is unbearably desirable and willing to be interrupted.

Am I willing to be interrupted when Jesus shows up, in whatever guise?

 

Psalm 40: Waiting Is Active

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. - Psalm 40:1

Around my house, I would not be characterized as a person who likes to wait. I'm usually the first person in the car. I'm usually the one who has timed things down to the minute. I am the one who has comments about those people in restaurants who only make up their mind what to order when they've reached the counter.

For me, waiting is not a passive thing--waiting is active. I must consciously restrain myself from fidgeting, pacing, or grumbling. When waiting, I am full of nervous energy. I feel uncomfortable in the nothing periods before the something happens. In a word, I am impatient.

While I have become more capable at restraining the outward signs of my impatience, inwardly I am still focused on the then rather than the now--a bubbling cauldron of anticipation. Rather than being patient, I have adopted the appearance of stoicism.

Recently, I have started to watch how I respond to waiting, not outwardly, but inwardly. Sometimes, I just bubble - replaying my plans or worries or frustrations. Sometimes, I try blankness, a mental state with deliberate lack of focus. Sometimes, I try to distract myself by engaging my attention through some small chore, activity, or FaceBook or a game--keeping busy.

But these activities waste much of the value of waiting. Many times God can't seem to get a word in edgewise because I am so busy. So he introduces a wait into my life, so I can hear him. Then I promptly ruin a perfectly good waiting period by finding ways to fill it.

Look at the things David was able to do during his waiting period:

1. Learn a new song from God (Ps. 40:3). 
2. Avoid spiritual shortcuts (Ps. 40:4). 
3. Take a break from doing stuff for God and, instead really, hear from God (Ps. 40:6). 
4. center himself on God's agenda rather than his own (Ps. 40:7-8).
5. Encourage others (Ps. 40:9-10). 
6. Talk honestly with God about his problems, including the ones that were self-inflicted. (Ps. 40:12ff).

When I notice that I am struggling with waiting (I don't always notice it when its happening), I try to pull back and use the opportunity God is giving me.

Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. - Proverbs 16:32