Patience

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you;

    therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.

For the Lord is a God of justice;

    blessed are all those who wait for him. ~ Isaiah 31:18

How patient are you?

I've gotten better at it as I've gotten older. I think I'm better at waiting for my flight to show up or for the vacation to come and special events to happen sooner rather than later.

But the other stuff? The big stuff?

Nope. Still not patient.

Blessed are those who wait for God.

OK, God?

Why wait? Aren't you in as much of a hurry as I am for justice to prevail?

It is true: God is a God of justice.  And justice is worth waiting for.  Mercy is worth waiting for.  Graciousness is worth waiting for.

Even when you are impatient like I am.

Even when it feels like justice or mercy or grace will never come.

Because they will come. In fact, they are coming now - even though we may not see it. They are coming in places and through people we might not expect.

People are being blessed daily.

The blessing comes to those who have waited.

And truly, even to those who have not.

Even when we are waiting, grace is holding us fast.

God of grace and justice, shine your mercy down, and when I am impatient, remind me that you are worth waiting for!  Amen