O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let them be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
Let them turn back because of their shame
who say, “Aha, Aha!”
May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay! Psalm 70
It is amazing how traveling makes some people highly anxious and others take it all in stride, I am in Houston now, after a wonderful experience at Nashotah House. 5 flights down and three more to go. It seems the word delay makes many people angry and nervous, as if our schedules are so tight we cannot wait. In fact, some act as if the whole world will fall apart with any delay. And yet the whole system is dependent on weather in major hubs in the system. Waiting and delays are part of life, although we don't like to wit.
The psalmist begs the Lord to come quickly. Enemies surround him, the enemies are working in the same office, it seems. The distress and pain of being isolated by hate is overwhelming. We can learn from this psalm and many others that our prayers can contain our hurt and anger as well as our praise. God invites our impatience and our need. God is more ready to hear and respond then we are ever to ask. When we are overwhelmed with anxiety we can pour out our hearts to God rather than punishing the powerless clerks, waitresses and flight attendants. We can pray like the psalmist wherever we find ourselves.
Today I ask God to give me the patience to trust everything to God. May our impatience with delays and timing of things not be poured out on the innocent, but rather may we give it all to God. May our prayers be honest and our interactions kind so that the world might know that God is in charge despite all they delays we are caught in today.
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