I'm Coming To The Party!

Psalm 40 (The Message)

A David Psalm

1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world's "sure thing," ignore what the world worships; The world's a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you.

6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you— that's not what you're after. Being religious, acting pious—that's not what you're asking for. You've opened my ears so I can listen.

7-8 So I answered, "I'm coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me, And I'm coming to the party you're throwing for me." That's when God's Word entered my life, became part of my very being.

9-10 I've preached you to the whole congregation, I've kept back nothing, God—you know that. I didn't keep the news of your ways a secret, didn't keep it to myself. I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough. I didn't hold back pieces of love and truth For myself alone. I told it all, let the congregation know the whole story.

11-12 Now God, don't hold out on me, don't hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together. When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn't see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene; hurry and get me some help, So those who are trying to kidnap my soul will be embarrassed and lose face, So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable will be heckled and disgraced, So those who pray for my ruin will be booed and jeered without mercy.

16-17 But all who are hunting for you—oh, let them sing and be happy. Let those who know what you're all about tell the world you're great and not quitting. And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it; you've got what it takes—but God, don't put it off.

"Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master's Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. Friends, don't complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner." James 5:7-9 (Msg.)

I absolutely LOVE this verse. I first discovered it on my flight from New York to London on the way to Africa. I was anxious, scared, tired, and excited all at the same time on this plane ride. Right before I boarded the plane, my thoughts were running wild. I couldn't actually believe that I was getting on the plane and taking the final step for my trip to Africa. There was NO turning back! I kept wondering why I was going, and why God had chosen young and inexperienced me to go on a missions trip. The only thing I could think of doing was to pray and get into the word to calm my nerves. I pulled out my bible, a set of bound note cards, and a variety of colorful pens. I can't tell you how much comfort those hot color gel pens gave me on that flight as I wrote God's words! :)

This verse in James is one of the first verses that God had me flip open to. It stopped me dead in my tracks (well not literally--we were 1,000's of miles above the Atlantic Ocean in a plane full of British accents)--and all I could think was... WOW! I repeated parts of the verse to myself. "Slow, but sure work." "Patience like that!" "Stay Steady and Strong." The way the Lord worded this verse was like it was written for me, on that plane, for that specific trip. I loved the verse even more once we got to Africa. The lush crops and green lands that encompass Kenya and the Kenyans were hard at work to produce crops to sell at the market, put this verse in an even greater light for me. These farmers rely on the rain (and God) to grow their crops that they will eventually sell just to survive. They have to have patience. They can't have an attitude of complaint. Instead, they have to trust God will do his slow, but sure work and trust that He is in all things, just waiting for you to accept His arrival. What a powerful verse to apply to our own lives.

This week let's remember to be patient in all things. Whether patience applies to waiting patiently in the Starbucks line, or kindly helping a co-worker on a project, let God give you patience and a heart not willing to give into complaining. In my own life, I will apply patience to trusting God with my nursing school application and not being so antsy that I forget to trust Him in the process. I will be patient with my busy schedule and know that God will make everything fall into place...like He always does. I will not complain about co-workers or the increase in gas prices. Instead, I will wait patiently for Him.