Psalm 13 How Long?

When I was dating my wife Ana, I decided once to pay her a visit by surprise. She was working near the capital city and she was living near work. I was a College student and was living three hours away. My plan backfired because she wasn't at her apartment when I arrived. Her roommate told me she had left early in the day and was not sure when she was going to be back. I decided to wait for her. I remember how difficult it was to sit in wait, but my desire to see her was so strong that I waited over six hours to see her.  I was certain that she would come to that place, and that certainty kept me there. After I saw her beautiful face, the hours did not seem that important anymore.

So it is in our wait for our King. Jesus has promised to return for his people and judge the living and the dead. At times, it seems he is not going to show up, especially in times of difficulty. But we know his promises are true. Faith is to follow God with assurance and immunity to doubt trusting in his promises for today and hoping in his promises for our future. We can trust that Jesus will come back to settle the score between the just and the unjust. We can count on God coming to restore Creation and redeem us from evil, injustice, pain, and suffering.

Trust is what God wants from me. A trust that compels me to obey his commandments. A trust that keeps me wondering of the day and the hour in which he will come. A trust that rejoices in the wait though it is long and painful. A trust that keeps me on the edge with expectation. A trust that simply will not quit no matter how long the wait is.

Jesus has not left us alone. We have the Holy Spirit in us who offers us a taste of eternity day by day. He comforts us and ministers to us in our hour of distress. He allows us to experience some of the joy and delight of being in the presence of God Almighty. He offers us day by day so many gifts and blessings that make us sing out of thanksgiving and keep us waiting patiently, enduring all circumstances of life.

How long must we wait until the return of our King? No one knows. Psalm 13 tells me that I must contemplate the salvation that God has given me and count my blessings. This will move my heart to understand that what I wait for is so much better than this world and so worth the wait. It will move me to even sing.

Father, grant me patience to wait for your Son. Help me rejoice in the salvation you have given as I count my blessings. Place a song in my heart for you every day.

Acts 14:1-7 Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

Paul and Barnabas moved into Iconium, what is known today as Konya, Turkey, and preached the Gospel following their established pattern of visiting the synagogues first. The good news is many, both Jews and Gentiles, came to believe the Gospel. The bad news is that Paul and Barnabas met much opposition. The unbelievers began to harass and poison the minds of the people against the missionaries. What was the reaction of the missionaries? They stayed for a long time!

Many a times, we think that opposition means that we have to give up and move on. But both Paul and Barnabas continued the work of the kingdom under the stressful circumstances of opposition. I should be more resilient in my kingdom work. I should not give up that easily my witness after meeting opposition. Opposition must be seen as part and parcel of the witnessing endeavor and I must learn to endure it. Moreover, Paul and Barnabas did not lose their boldness as a result of opposition, but continued to speak boldly for the Lord.

The Lord "bore witness to the word of his grace." In the midst of opposition, God placed his stamp of approval upon the work of the missionaries by "granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands." Signs and wonders were a demonstration of God's power in their midst. It was a way of telling the people that God was behind every word the missionaries spoke to them. There should be a sense of expectation in my life that God will make himself known to people backing up my witness. I must believe that God works in people's lives to affirm my witness to them. I must believe that opposition does not hinder my God from working among unbelievers.

A question worth pondering in kingdom work is: How much risk should we take for the kingdom? For sure, we see the apostles living in dangerous situations all the time, but it seems there is a limit. When the opposition amounted to a plot of abuse and murder, they decided to move on. We are called to give our lives for the cause of the Gospel, but we should not seek to be martyrs. Living in danger is one thing, but the apostles thought it wiser to flee to stay alive and be able to preach somewhere else. There is no shame in fleeing from death if given such an opportunity.

Father, grant me boldness and courage to be a witness for you even in the midst of opposition. Help me endure opposition to give glory to your name. May I have the expectation to see it at work in people's lives when I witness to them. Teach me to take risks for your kingdom. Amen.