Day 154, or June the 3rd. Patience is a virtue. Our thoughts today are rooted in Psalm 13,
verse 1. How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face
from me?
And now the big picture surrounding this verse. Of all David's Psalms, his number 13 describes
him and many of us today so well. Throughout his life, David was often ahead of God and
regularly behind him. His timing was far from perfect, and he wrestled with God many times,
but God showed him lots of patience.
And now today's action step. If I were God, I would act quicker than this. How many times
have we thought this? Too many, I think, and we are all wrong every time. David was a very
impulsive man. Just ask Bathsheba and Uriah, whose marriage he ruined after a brief sighting
of Bathsheba taking a bath. He was not renowned for his patience, but his intentions were
usually genuine, which is why God described him as a man after my own heart. Simon Peter
is a favorite amongst the disciples, because he had similar weaknesses. We look at these
two giants of the faith and are tempted to conclude that their weaknesses were acceptable,
therefore we can accommodate them in our own lives. This is not true. It's a bit like
saying, everyone speeds on motorways, therefore it's okay if I do. The lessons to learn from
many of the biblical characters we read about is that God was very patient with them, but
he longed for them to change, just as he longs for us to change, too. I recall a man shouting
at a striker in a football match many years ago. He kept saying, Stop holding on to the
ball! Shoot now! Shoot now! I have left it too late! Then the ball was propelled like
a rocket into the net. The striker wasn't too late. He simply knew when the time was
right. When you think God seems to be delaying, try asking yourself, What do I do in the meantime?
Rather than just, Why don't you get a move on? You will be the main beneficiary.