You’ve heard the phrase before. Maybe you’ve heard it just about enough. Here it is, “Good things come to those who wait.”
The phrase is listed on wikipedia and on wiktionary and is categorized as an “English phrase.” The brief caption on the wikipedia page states: “an English phrase extolling the virtue of patience.” To do it justice, however, we have to factor in a very similar yet deeper meaning. At least, that is how I feel. You see, in the OT Book of Lamentations, we are told: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to anyone who seeks help from Him” (3, v.25).
Without doing a word and phrase parsing, I just can’t help but think that whoever coined the phrase, “Good things come to those who wait” had to be looking at, or reading over, Lamentations 3, v.25. But what’s more important than the history is how it works itself out in our lives. In our very lives. It’s not easy, is it?
For anyone reading this, and for the one writing it ~ I am almost 100% confident that we can each say, state, claim, and testify that there is at least one thing that we have waited on and perhaps are waiting on, right now. Take a moment and insert your thing right here: ___________. If you are like many, it may be: __________, __________, ____________, etc. Maybe it’s a new job, a restored relationship, a friend or co-worker to know the Lord, an ill relative or loved one, or a rebellious child. Someone may be waiting in order to buy groceries or pay that overdue utility bill. No matter what it is, we are all waiting, and praying, and hoping for something. Right now.
The passage states: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to anyone who seeks help from Him.” My goodness, we are in deed a people who need the Lord’s help, the Lord’s guide, the Lord’s counsel. Watching the evening news or picking up a paper and just skimming through the headlines will nearly deplete you. Crime. Abuse. Corruption. Killing. Terrorism. Disease. Disaster. – and the list goes on. In the middle of it all, we remember the promise of God that He is surely good to those who wait for Him; that is, in His time. I know, it is hard. It is often really hard. But in it, and through it, the Lord is working and showing us something.
I often pray and just say to God: “Lord, give me Your patience, Your longevity, Your loving-kindness, Your heart and passion – in this.” It does us well to know and remember that God is working all things out, and together, for good, to those who love Him… (see Romans 8, v.28). I can’t pretend to know how or even why we sometimes wait, and wait, and wait. But I can tell you this: I whole-heartedly believe in the end, it will all be incredible, and phenomenal, and undeniable. That much, I do know.
No matter what you may be waiting for, right now, know that you aren’t alone waiting. Also know that in it, and by it, and through it, God is trustworthy and yes, you can trust Him. May our prayer be: Lord, draw near to us and help us to draw closer to You. Give us patience that only You can give. Let our eyes be steadfast on You now, and in the days to come. We know, Lord, that You are always so good to us! Thank You for hearing our prayer and for being such a Welcomed Presence in our lives. In Jesus Name! Amen.
Porter
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