Presents
have been opened, returns have been made, lights and trees will soon
be taken down, and the radio/music playlists for many has changed
back to regular tunes. A new year is at hand and soon a new POTUS.
Between terrorist attacks, political scandals, societal tensions,
embittered parties filled with hateful rhetoric, whether Republican
or Democrat, 2016 has been a year full of conflict and corruption.
For many, the idea of a New Year dawning somehow brings thoughts of
hopeful change. Who knows what awaits us this year, so we make our
attempts to “better” ourselves. We look back at what hasn’t
been done and say to ourselves, “This year, this year I will get
busy. I will not waste my time, but I will be more practical, more
purposeful, and more active.” For a short while, we will lift
our heads high with grand aspirations, and yet in time, plans will be
scrapped and promises will be broken. Hearts will be hardened, homes
will be shattered, marriages will fail, churches will split, and
intolerance masquerading as needed change will spread.
By
now you are probably thinking, boy this crummy guy is all doom and
gloom. Frankly, I believe that all of us can experience a bright
and beautiful future; but it will never be found in this world-system
(1 John 2:15-17). Needed change and hope will only come, when we
learn wait. Does this sound silly? It may, because of how we have
pushed and pictured New Years resolutions. Apart from traffic and
internet buffers, hardly anyone has to wait these days. We are
addicted to the instantaneous. How often have we told ourselves in a
checkout line or on a hold call, “I don’t have time for
this!?”
You
see, David wrote in Psalms chapter sixty two, verses five through
eight, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my
expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is
my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my
glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in
him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a
refuge for us. Selah.” This is the change we need; the
resolution that must be kept. To wait on God. To sit at His feet and
simply rest in His power and love. It is where our aspirations align
to His will and our attitude is one of childlike trust. To the
patient, wisdom is given. For the Christian, it is in the moments of
humble reflection, prayerful and scriptural meditation, that he finds
strength and understanding.
Again,
this is why I am “doom and gloom”, because I see a generation
that wants instant gratification and success. I see people who would
rather immediately react to “biased news” rather than waiting to
learn all the facts! I see a massive crowd of professed believers
that would rather fulfill their own immediate desires than take time
to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ! We have not
learned to wait upon God! We all want to start off the new year
right. If this is true, then may we all keep at the forefront of our
thoughts the promise that, “The LORD is good unto them that wait
for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” (Lamentations 3:25)
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