Watching and Waiting
When my children were small and we had company coming, they would watch and wait standing on the living room couch by our big picture window. They would be full of expectation as to the fun and fellowship to come. I would enjoy their laughter and enthusiastic chatter as they bounced around, excited for what was ahead.
As we wait for joyful moments, we can rejoice in the good to come – waiting for a new baby to arrive, waiting to start a long-awaited job, prepping to go on a holiday, and so on. Our spirits are uplifted as we consider the happy experiences ahead.
Other times, when we watch and wait, life isn’t so great. Things like a job coming to an end, a family member moving away, or a loved one on their deathbed are not the type of watching and waiting we want to do. Time can seem twist and turn as we wonder how long the pain or discomfort or sorrow will last.
Ancient Israel had many of these moments of waiting. Unsuccessful battles leading to exile or destruction, loved ones separated or lost in battle, and so on, were not positive waiting experiences.
In amidst some of these troubled times comes the prophet Micah who shares these words:
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord. I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7 NIV)
Others around us might be mired in desperate situations, but we have a choice to make – do we watch and wait with hope or not?
As this verse suggests, we can have hope in our Lord who creates all things and sustains all things. He is never far from us, no matter what our situation. If we actively watch, we can see His gracious hand at work.
Another component of this verse that offers immense comfort is that we are not just watching and waiting for some great man. We are looking and waiting for our Saviour. Jesus walked the earthly life. He knows what it is like to be tired and work worn. He knows what it means to have to strive to obtain our daily needs.
The most striking words come at the end of this Micah passage – “my God will hear me.” There is no “might” in here. God always, always hears us. We can watch and wait with confidence, knowing that God will intervene when necessary, or walk us through trials when required for our growth.
When we sit in those dark hours and wait, we have the assurance that we will pass through these waters. God has promised and He never reneges on a promise.
As I think back on some of the waiting times in my own life there is a mixture of both happy and sad. Some days are one of praise and others are ones seeking comfort from our Lord who gives us a peace that transcends all understanding.
Sometimes we feel unworthy to watch and wait. We may feel we have betrayed or displeased our Lord and so we have no right to hope that He will be there for us.
The Israelites had been like that. Their sinful and sometimes idolatrous ways had got them into considerable trouble. Yet, in the book of Micah, we find these words of hope:
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19 NIV)
We can watch and wait with confidence, knowing that our Lord is nearby. Our God is merciful and through His Son’s saving work on the cross all that is messed up in us is covered over by the blood of Jesus. It’s like they have been thrown to the far reaches of the universe – never to impede us again. We can step forward with joy and hope as we watch and wait for His return and His plan for our lives until then.
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