A Prayer to Rest in God’s Promises in the Waiting - Your Daily Prayer - November 29

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A Prayer to Rest in God’s Promises in the Waiting
By: Rev. Kyle Norman

Bible Reading:
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ; who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” - Philippians 3:20-21

Listen or Read Below:

Do you enjoy waiting? For example, do you search out the longest line in the grocery store, hoping to end up standing behind someone paying in nickels?   Do you hope that your commute to work or school will involve bumper-to-bumper traffic and snail-paced progress?

I didn’t think so.

I doubt any of us enjoys waiting. Waiting is rarely listed among things that we like to do. It brings frustration and annoyance. This is particularly true as we live in a world of instant gratification, where high-speed internet is never fast enough. All around us, there is a push to move faster. Every day, there seems to be a new product, app, or AI-related tool to help us manage our lives. The motto for all who hate waiting is “We have places to go; we have things to do!” And so we are perpetually on the move, always racing from one thing to the next. Waiting, in the eyes of the world, means lagging behind. 

But what about our life with God? Does God call us to rush ahead, to flit frenetically about? 

The Bible speaks a lot about waiting. In fact, waiting is the primary stance of our Christian life. We await the return of our Savior; we await the complete transformation of our lives; we await Christ’s return, wherein everything will be fully and finally redeemed. To be a Christian is to wait.

But this sense of waiting isn’t passive. We don’t just stand in one spot, tap our feet, and twiddle our thumbs. For the Christian person, waiting is active. Waiting involves the daring belief that we participate in the coming of the Lord. Waiting boldly proclaims that, at this moment, all things are being worked toward Christ’s purpose and his will. Waiting recognizes the presence of Jesus, and the work of the Spirit around us, and within us.  

When we rush from place to place, it’s easy to believe that our life is lived by our own effort and will. We get so busy with what we are doing that we forget to pay attention to what God is doing. But when we stop, when we are still, we can recognise the grace-filled atmosphere in which we reside. Waiting allows us to grasp the promises of Jesus. We are not alone. We are always being transformed into his likeness. He will bring everything under his loving reign. 

As we approach the time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord, we are called to lean into the discipline of waiting. But this waiting isn’t just about waiting for the baby in the manger. We are called to recognize that Christ is coming again; we await his return and the establishment of his kingdom.  And as we wait, we open our lives to him, asking that his redemption be made known in our lives today.

It’s true, waiting can be hard and frustrating, but it is also an essential discipline in our lives. If you are in a time of waiting, be encouraged. Keep praying. Do not give up. Waiting doesn’t mean you are abandoned or that Christ is not with you. Rather, the time of waiting can be a time for you to rely on his promises. Waiting for Jesus is not wasting time; it is not sitting doing nothing. In waiting, we are giving our souls the space needed to dwell in the presence of our Lord. We live out the hope to which we are called, a hope rooted in the surety of Christ’s guidance and promises.

Let’s Pray:

Precious Jesus,

In this moment, I pause all my strivings and all my racing. I take a moment to still myself in your presence, knowing that you are here with me.  In this time of waiting, I pray that you help me see your work within me and all around me. Open my eyes to recognize the imprints of your presence; open my heart to hear your call to participate in your work in the world; Open my heart to receive the transformation that you long to make real in me.

Lord, you are gracious in your promises of hope, love, forgiveness, and new life. As I wait for you to return, may your promises evermore grow within me. May my life be a testimony to your great goodness. Help me to live out the very redemption that I wait for.

This I pray in your holy name, Amen.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: Pexels/JÉSHOOTS 

The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada.  He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others.  He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca.  He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.

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