Hello Everyone,
Although we’ve completed our month of devotional studies on the theme of patience, today I was writing a few extra devotionals on that subject to be included in a book I’m writing, and I just couldn’t resist sharing this one with you. Hope you find it helpful:
Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
Our Bible verse for today: “God, deliver me. Hurry to help me, Lord!” Psalm 70:1 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “It’s ok to tell God to hurry up.”
What do you think about that? Is it really ok to tell God to “hurry up”? Well, evidently it is. Here in Psalm 70 that’s exactly what King David did. In verse one he very emphatically called on God to get a move on it and deliver him from his troubles. Then in verses 2-4 he recited what some of those problems were. And he ended the Psalm in verse 5 by repeating his call for God to hurry up, “I am afflicted and needy; hurry to me, God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.”
All this month we’ve been considering the Biblical virtue of patience. We’ve even noted that patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit which Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-23. We’ve considered how important it is to have patience and how it is that, when God allows circumstances into our lives that try our patience, that is a form of spiritual exercise which is in fact actually strengthening us and making us more patient.
But there’s also a tension here. The Bible teaches that as we’re in the process of being patient, it’s also ok to urge God to pick up the pace a little in getting that answer to us. That’s what David did in Psalm 70 as well as in some of the other Psalms. And if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. I mean God already knows that we’re impatient for an answer. We’re not fooling Him if we pretend to be patient but secretly we’re practically wetting our pants while we’re waiting for Him to act. So why not just be honest and talk to Him about how we really feel?
Jesus frequently taught that we are to ask our Heavenly Father for the things that we want. James wrote that one of the reasons we don’t get what we want from God is because we don’t bother to ask Him for it. So if you want an answer to your prayer, and you want it now, then tell Him so. That doesn’t mean it will happen that way, and you may still find yourself having to patiently wait, but for pity’s sake, be honest with Him. That’s what David did and we be can too.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 