WAITING PATIENTLY Be still in the presence of the LORD and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land. (Psalm 37:7-9, NLT) Today, like every day, will be a day when many gloat and many weep. Psalm 37 is wonderful medicine for both. Waiting patiently is not easy whether you’re a young child waiting for a birthday or Christmas, or a senior citizen waiting to see family one more time. Regardless of how things are going in our personal or national life, we need to be still in His Presence. But sometimes we don’t want that, do we? We want to pour out our indignation, spew our rage, vent our fears and cry our tears. I think God would ask us why we do such things. “Why not be still in My Presence?” He would ask us. God acted yesterday and he’ll act today. He didn’t take the day off. He never does. An election, political decision, diagnosis or anything else didn’t run amuck when He went out for a coffee break. He doesn’t take coffee breaks. So, what is God doing? Why hardships and difficulty waiting, even after so many prayers for something to change, for something better? I don’t pretend to know. It could be that He is maneuvering chess pieces (nations and rulers) to bring about the End. It could be that He is giving the nations what they wanted/voted for – to teach us a lesson as He did with Israel when they wanted a king – and He let them have one and it became a bitter lesson for centuries. What is the church to do? Heed the advice of Psalm 37, for one thing. But even before that, we need to do what God counseled Israel long ago: confess our sins and pray that God will heal us, and our nations. Then, and only after we are right with Him again as individuals, we can be the salt and light without the rage He forbids in Psalm 37. One more thing: while we are being salt and light, remember that He doesn’t say that the world will like us, nor does He put the responsibility for the result upon our shoulders. That’s His business. It’s His world to direct and shape and bring to its conclusion. – Galen Dalrymple