Personal Theology

These are some beautiful passages from the Bible about waiting on the Lord. They blessed me and I wanted to share. I put them in something of an order: from the promises to the prayers to the self-exhortation to the sweet final reality.
Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Psalm 25:3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; ... Psalm 39:7“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Genesis 49:18I wait for your salvation, O Lord. Isaiah 33:2O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. Psalm 130:5I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; Psalm 27:14Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Isaiah 25:9It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 40…

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.” (Proverbs 26:15, ESV)

Oh that silly sluggard…

This is a funny proverb. I am never too tired to pick up food in front of me and eat, so therefore this is a proverb that allows me to laugh at other people.

Oh those “other people” who bury their Bible on the shelf and can’t be bothered to read it.

And those “other people” whose God is always faithfully listening, but they forget to pray.

Then there are those “other people” who finally found a faithful church, but they find it too demanding to really participate in it.

 Silly sluggard.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12, ESV)

Doesn't the daily battle get exhausting?

If only the struggle were merely external, that would be one thing. But the battle rages in my heart before I can even get out of bed.

Why do I still make a mess of things like I do? Why is my heart still so conflicted and torn? Why is simply trusting God still so difficult?

Why is my life such a work in progress when I've already labored so long?

Sometimes the questions are good, sometimes the questions are pure despair. Sometimes the questions boil down to a broken and gasping cry to the heavens: Why should I even keep going?

"...because Christ Jesus has made me his own."

Long ago my Savior knew the despair. Long ago he knew the choice between pressing on and giving up. In the face of the world's fiercest opposition, he pressed on.

He didn't press on merely…