Lenten Devotion – Patiently Waiting
Day 19, 6 March 2024
“And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6:15
Abraham was 75 when God called him out of Haran to the land of Canaan. He received the promise that God would make of him a great nation, and bless him and make his name great, so that he would be a blessing. What an amazing promise!
After wondering around the largely arid desert lands for 25 years through various trials, a legitimate heir was finally born! Even so, Abraham had not become a great nation. He but received the beginnings of the promise. How many of us have waited 25 years for a sliver of promise from God? How many of us have been impatient when God has not fulfilled a promise to us after a year or perhaps a month of waiting? Abraham shows to us what it means to “patiently wait”.
I remember having a crush on a girl who took the same school bus when I was 7 years old. When I changed school in primary 2, I pined for her. Over the years, I had crushes on many other girls but remained single as I was too shy to approach them. Finally at the age of 26, I told God with more honesty than before that if he wanted me to stay single, I would still love and serve Him. After 19 years of waiting and praying that surrendered prayer, God spoke to me through a series of events and a “sliver of promise” for the start of a romance began. I married my first and only girlfriend 2 years later and the rest is history.
I can’t say that I patiently waited. In fact, I was mostly impatient and under great duress at my singlehood. Then again, it’s rather funny how the writer of Hebrews described Abraham as patient given the “fumble” with Hagar and Ishmael. The same writer described Sarah who laughed at God’s promise as receiving the power to conceive “by faith” (Hebrews 11:11). God’s grace is so amazing that He has amnesia towards our sins (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:17) and considers us faithful even in our imperfect waiting!
What promises of God are you waiting on? May we be like Abraham who “having patiently waited, obtained the promise”.
Zhengqin🙏