Watching with Expectation - Your Nightly Prayer - May 29th

Sophia Bricker

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Your Nightly Prayer

Watching with Expectation
Your Nightly Prayer
By Sophia Bricker

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." - Micah 7:7, NIV

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Sitting in a stiff chair, feeling my legs grow numb, is a common experience when waiting at the doctor’s office. Worse than the physical weariness, though, is the mental burden of knowing that the minutes are ticking by as I sit in a room, unable to complete the everyday tasks required of me. With each passing second of waiting, time is being lost–– and used up on something that does not seem to accomplish anything. Yet those visits to the doctor (including the waiting periods) accomplish something important; grouped together, they contribute to the overall treatment of my health and wellness, which, like every other good thing in life, is a blessing from the Lord (James 1:17).

The issue often isn’t about why I am waiting, but how I am waiting. Am I allowing impatience and frustration to drown out a time that could be used for other, more fruitful, things? Many people bring a book to read while waiting or text a friend. Some might bring knitting or a word puzzle to occupy their time. Even if I have nothing with me to distract me, I can use the quiet to pray about my worries and for the medical staff, or to meditate on Scripture passages I’ve memorized. In this way, there is purpose––and daresay growth––in the waiting, for it requires a patient trust.

The same is true for our waiting seasons. We would certainly prefer to skip the proverbial waiting room sessions of life, those periods when nothing productive seems to happen, and life drags on at a snail's pace. In times of sickness. In times of waiting for the next job. In times when God seems to be slow in keeping His promises. Nothing appears to be happening. The prophet Micah knew what it meant to wait. Having prophesied the devastation of Israel and its exile, he delivered a strong message of God’s judgment. Yet even amid the weariness and sorrow over the nation’s sin, Micah watched expectantly for God the Savior (Micah 7:7). As he affirmed later in the same chapter, “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 7:19, NIV).

God was going to act–they just had to wait in anticipation for His good timing. So do we. Our waiting need not mean stagnation as we sit idly by while the world goes on. We can watch and wait with active trust in the Lord, who is working even if we do not yet see it. May we apply the same posture of anticipating the coming of our Savior to the seasons of waiting that come, of being wise to prepare for the Lord and live faithfully for Him each day. In this way, our watching will be fruitful.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Lord,
I am not a fan of waiting for things to happen. From doctors' offices to packages and long seasons of expectation, I would prefer to fast-forward to the actual events. Yet I know that there is purpose in waiting. In these times, I can follow the example of the prophets who watched for Your coming, O Lord, which was fulfilled in the coming of Your Son to save the world. Even now, I am living in that posture of expectation as I await Christ’s return and the fulfillment of all the promises of Scripture. May I remember that other periods of waiting are small mirrors of that ultimate waiting, and that I can grow by watching faithfully. Teach me to rightly number my minutes and hours so that all is used for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I trust and pray.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

A time when you had to wait for something or someone. What happened? Do you wish you had approached that event differently? Why or why not?
Someone from Scripture who kept careful watch, such as Anna (Luke 2:36-38), Simeon (Luke 2:25-35), or even the young women in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). What stands out to you about their waiting, and how might you implement this attitude of heart in your situation?
Specific things in life worth waiting for–a well-prepared meal, the blooming of flowers, the birth of a child, a long-expected meeting with a friend. How does the anticipation add to the joy of seeing the event come to pass?

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Kinga Cichewicz

Sophia Bricker Sophia Bricker is a writer. Her mission is to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotionals, and stories. She completed a BA and MA in Christian ministry which included extensive study of the Bible and theology, as well as an MFA in creative writing. You can read her thoughts about literature and faith at The Cross, a Pen, and a Page Substack, or visit the discipleship-based site Cultivate, where she writes with her sister.

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