Another great attribute of God is His enduring patience. When we need to wait for something, we tend to lose that ability and even ask God to give us some as we pray. When that happens, God may give us another challenge to test our patience. His patience is beyond anything we can muster. In a society that is in the throes of instant everything, we become accustomed to wanting answers, information, media, knowledge, wisdom and just about everything else in a nano-second. Usually, we get it via technology. Even the Bible is available online. Even the internet is flawed, so how can we trust it?

Think of how God waited patiently for the Israelites during the Exodus. 40 years was a long time to wait for God’s promise to be fulfilled, but it was. Think of how many years during the Old Testament times passed before the promised Messiah would come to live among His people. Closer to home, think about the patience God has with each one of us as we struggle through life’s perils and challenges. It may take a whole lifetime before we see answers to our prayer requests. We may never get them. God continues to work on our hearts and has an almighty plan laid out for each one of us. We can be sure that the plan is designed for our good. If we don’t get the answers, God has a different plan which will certainly be for our benefit rather than our loss.

Dear Holy God, you continue to be with your people even when all seems impossible for us to figure out. You love with a love that has no comparison from a human standpoint. You wait and wait and wait, while we want answers immediately. Help us to trust in your wisdom. Guide us through this life of unknowns with your divine plan for our eternity with you. Amen!

“WHAT’S NEXT?” POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER

Our walk each day is often filled with tangles, twists and turns,¹

We try to forge a clearer path, for safety our heart yearns,

Each fork can lead you to success, each branch can hide the way,

You struggle with the smallest things, you’re not sure what to say,

The road holds many stumbling blocks, you fall and then you rise,

The darkness of a late-night walk, can muddle up your eyes,

If you don’t follow all the signs, you may stray off the way,

You need someone to walk with you and hear the words you say,

It all becomes much clearer when we trust in the true God,

He shows the way and leads us home, wherever we may trod,

He lifts us when our legs grow tired, He calms our every fear,

He carries us when we can’t walk, He wipes away each tear,

The darkness may surround your steps, but He is always there,

To shed His light upon your way, to take away each care,

Put your faith in God, the Father, He’ll never let you down,

His Holy Spirit comforts you, His Son gives you a crown,

Eternity will be your prize, when this life is long gone,

Just trust in His sustaining love from dusk until the dawn.