“I stretch
out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land.” -Psalm 143:6
My soul is
fine through the week, but I feel the frustration of longing on Sunday
mornings. I miss the church gathered. It brings tears to my eyes even now when
I think about it. And this longing to gather exploded off the page as I read
Psalm 143. Why does the Lord ever place me in situations where I feel longing?
Why can’t I have what I need right now? Why wait? Why do I need to pray and
wait? I pray for the church to be able to regather in safety.
Longing led
Israel to weep by the waters of Babylon when in captivity, longing to be home
and gathered to worship the Lord (Psalm 137). Why do I have longing to gather
as a church now, pray in my longing, and still must wait?
Even as I
write this, I do not have an answer. The Bible does not answer the question,
“How long, O Lord?” Yet, the Bible is clear how to wait with longing.
Frustration sets in when our longings are intense, which a table of temptations
is set in our hearts. When my heart is frustrated and my soul thirsts for the
Lord to answer my prayers, I am tempted to become bitter, angry, demand to have
what I need right now without waiting.
Yet, my
heart is to be ruled by Christ’s peace (Colossians 3:15) and no matter my
circumstance to learn the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:11). I can wait
to gather while intensely longing to gather through Christ who gives me
strength. Waiting when my soul thirsts like a parched land longing for rain
makes me weak, but He is my strength.
Why a
pandemic now? Why wait when I am spiritually thirsty now? I do not have an
answer, church family. Yet, I know our Lord does not leave us to fend for
ourselves. He does hear our prayers in Christ. “Seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Our
anxieties, bitterness, and anger in times of waiting are unjustified in light
of the sovereignty of God in His kingdom and righteousness.
Trusting the
prosperity of the kingdom of God and His righteousness does not mean we will
not suffer here. We may not live to see tomorrow. We may lose jobs or even suffer
greatly. Famines and nakedness come to God’s children commanded not to be
anxious. Yet, even here, our anxieties are unjustified. Not because pains will
not come or things are not scary, but this from Romans 8:35: “Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
The world
suffering from a pandemic and economic pains is scary, but I take my weaknesses,
my anxieties, and my longings in prayer to God. He is my peace, my strength,
and my song. Even if I do not get answers to my questions, or an answer I do
not like, I run to Him for safety and mercy. I urge you, beloved of God, take
it to the Lord in prayer.
Heavenly
Father, thank You for Your steadfast love. Ease our anxious hearts. How we long
to gather again. How long, O Lord? Give us Your strength to endure in the
waiting, to endure with rejoicing that in any circumstance we would enjoy Your
peace. Bless Your church, O Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
