Waiting on the Lord
READ: Genesis 15:1-6
I once knew a girl who was very ill. She went to the doctor only to find out that she had an incurable disease - cancer. She prayed every night for God to take her life now so that she wouldn’t have to suffer. Through her illness, God brought her in contact with other young cancer patients. She shared her faith with the children, and told them about the hope they had in Jesus.
When God promised a Savior to His people through the prophets Isaiah and Micah, the promise was not fulfilled for another 600 to 700 years. It's important to understand that God’s timetable is not always the same as our timetable. Through faith we trust His promises with joy and patience.
In this section from Genesis, we are reminded of the promise God had made to Abraham many years before that Abraham would have many descendents. Abraham was now an old man, but he still did not have any children. And he was becoming impatient with God's timetable. But through a vision, God lovingly reminded Abraham that his wife would bear him a child, and that his descendents would be numerous as the stars. Abraham believed and God credited it to him as righteousness.
God makes many promises to us in the Bible such as Jesus’ second coming and that we will rise from death to be with Him in heaven someday. No matter how long it takes, we need to be patient, knowing that God works all things for our good according to his will.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Can you think of something that you had to wait patiently for? What do you think God’s reason is when we have to wait? Why do you think that God doesn’t seem to answer our prayers sometimes, even when we are patient?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Pray for those who are impatient. Pray that unbelievers will hear of God's grace and come to faith in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.