Advent - Day 24

Impatience – Psalm 130
Tuesday, December 23

Here it is two days before Christmas and the children are impatient. They keep asking, How much longer? When can we open presents? They have made their lists; they see mysterious packages under the tree; they grow tired of waiting.

Psalm 130 expresses the somewhat controlled impatience of the Israelites as they wait for the Lord’s deliverance. In John Rutter’s Requiem there is a musical interpretation of this psalm. The music begins with low, slow, haunting bass notes that portray a feeling of doom and despair, but as it continues, the mood quickens and brightens when the words, I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. In a few measures the message changes moods from impatience to excitement. Waiting was hard for the Israelites. It is hard for us, but in Him, there is hope.

Questions to consider: Is there something for which you wait before the Lord? Do you grow weary, impatient with waiting? Can you sing with the psalmist of your trust in God’s unconditional love for you personally?