PATIENCE leads to God's MOVEMENT in our lives!

I love the psalms! So much honesty, wisdom, truth for life found in the words of the many authors who contributed to what we have in the Old Testament. In psalm 40 David, one of the more prolific authors wrote the words above (#psalm40:1-2). 

There are a several things that I noticed this morning in this reading.

1. David writes that he waited PATIENTLY for God to move. This is easier said that done for most of us in this crazy world. The truth is... most of us have very little patience. It is a virtue that has been lost on most people today, especially in the Western world where we have almost instant access to an array of amenities and items. But the key to this whole section in psalm 40 is the patience that David displayed as he waited for the Lord to respond. 

2. Secondly, as God lifted David out of the darkness of his despair He steadied David. When I read this I think of how we steady things in life. If I were going to steady my toddler who is learning to walk I am going to hold their hand as they take those first awkward steps. Or if I am going to steady my child on their first bike ride I will hold on to the bike while they peddle with the goal of letting them go on their own when they are steady and ready for that freedom. Or if I am going to steady something like a wall I am going to build supports that steady it and hold it safely in place. In this psalm our God is described as a "steading influence" in our lives. He is the one who holds our hand when necessary. He is the one who holds on until we can step out on our own. And He is the one who supports us as we move forward.

3. Which leads me to the final thought this morning and that is God lifts us up SO that we can move forward. David says in verse 2 that after God lifted him up He steadied him as David walked. In other words, David had to do the walking! God was not going to do the walking for him, David was the one who once placed on solid ground had to move forward in God's purposes. Sometimes when God moves us out we fear moving forward but that is exactly what David did. But he did it with a deeper knowledge of God's intervention and guidance in his life.

Seeking the patience to wait and the strength to walk!

Rev Trev