Waiting…

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1 (ESV)

This month we have been exploring Psalm 40. It is a psalm which remembers God’s goodness to us, and particularly how He is here for us in our inevitable times of trouble. Attributed to David, the psalmist shows humility throughout, acknowledging God’s help and generosity for rescuing him. David, God’s chosen leader of Israel, with the wealth and power that position must have brought, describes himself as ‘poor and needy’. He is all too conscious of his failings and acknowledges his dependence on his Creator. (It would be fascinating to find out how many of today’s social and political leaders pray like this…)

During our discussions we thought about the idea of waiting. There is an ancient Hebrew term here- ‘qavah’, which also means entwining, or twisting. This type of waiting is active, rather than passive.  In our hearts and minds it is like we are twisting or plaiting pieces of rope together, our hearts with God’s heart. We our weaving our lives into God’s will and care, and relying on Him to meet ours and the world’s needs. 

Like David understood, waiting like this requires us to understand our limitations, letting go of anything we cannot control and trusting in the One who loves us. Our community is full of people with stories of God actively helping and comforting us, not just passively listening to our prayers and cries. In the Gospels Jesus implores people who are tired and weary to actively come to him, promising rest for their souls. Peter in one of his letters, reminds us again of God’s active care, reminding us to ‘cast our anxieties on him’. 

Just as David is able to sing of God’s goodness to him in the ‘great congregation’ (verse 10), perhaps our active waiting and trust will lead into new songs and stories of God’s love and kindness in our hearts and minds. Our congregations of friends, family, neighbours and the people we meet in our daily lives may just catch a glimpse of something and be refreshed…