The theme continues

 

            All throughout the Bible we find stories of faithful people in difficult situations, waiting for God to do what He had promised to do. Noah building the ark, and preaching repentance awaiting the first rain; and then again waiting for the waters of the flood to pass. Abraham waiting for Isaac as he wanders as a stranger in a strange land. Joseph laboring in captivity, and then in prison; and Israel would wait till Joseph’s name was forgotten to leave that land. Moses too waited for many years before the time came for the exodus, and then he led God’s people for decades in the wilderness facing hardships and trials. Moses would not enter the land of Promise, but even the land the people had troubles for generations. David waited on the run, and through civil war for God to grant him the throne. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel endured much and did not live to see the exiles return. When the prophets fell silent hundreds of years passed till the Messiah appeared, and how much did our Lord endure in His life among us? His disciples waited for the resurrection in fear, and for the Holy Spirit in prayer. The apostles knew hard lives, and seasons of waiting in prison, and long travels.  And since then, the saints have continued to know trying times, long stretches of waiting, and moments of profound temptation in which they like Paul might have despaired of life itself. So many stories we find that it becomes theme, and a grand theme that stretches from the very beginning to the present day.

            It is theme because we need such a theme. We too know times of waiting and watching in small ways and in big ways we await the fulfillment of God’s promise in Matthew 6:33, or Romans 8:28, or Revelation… And it often hard for us. We see a little way into a future we cannot handle, we see troubles all around, and we are tempted to despair. Perhaps we wrestle against doubts and turmoil within as the writer of Psalm 42, or perhaps we simply give vent to our grief as in Psalm 88, or perhaps we know the comfort of Psalm 23. Yes, perhaps we have gone through enough valleys, and through enough parted seas, been fed in the wilderness enough, and seen the enemies conquered enough to learned that secret Paul speaks of in Philippians 4. Maybe we have learned ow it is Christ can us rest.

            I have not yet, but I work towards the goal. I know the secret is of God, who is who He says He is, and who does what He says He will. Yes, it is true, but it not easy to affirm under pressure from without, or more especially from within. To have the knowledge is one thing, but to grok it is another. I have not grokked it yet, but this truth I have God is patient with us in our struggles, and this we know for we find the lesson developed into a theme throughout scripture. God knows we need the reminder. He knows we need to see it again, and again at every angle. And in this I believe he proves His point once more.

            “We are all beggars, this is true.” Luther’s last words are true, and from whom do we beg? From God. The twin truths are that we are always in need, and He is always providing for that need. We are always as desperate is in our most desperate moment, and always as reliant as at our most helpless. Why then should be lose peace in a moment? God is the same, and so to is our position. The theme continues.