Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, November 29, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Sometimes we just have to wait. I can get wrapped up in anxiety about things I don’t have much control over. There are actions I can take in certain situations, but not others. I can exert some influence in some areas but need to completely stay out of others. Habakkuk is waiting in fear for the Chaldeans to sweep down over Israel and trample it to bits. He’s made his case to God—raised a good stink over it. And now he stands on top of the wall and watches to see what will happen. Habakkuk waits.
That waiting can be excruciating—and it’s understandable. Even though we know we have no control over those medical tests or that job offer or that benefits decision it’s not a simple thing to just turn off the anxiety and get on with life. I don’t think anyone likes that feeling of helplessness—of feeling so small and ineffectual.
We are never alone in our fear. Whether or not we feel God’s presence, God is there. Right there. Holding us. And no matter the outcome—whether it’s cancer or we don’t get the job or we’re denied services or even if the Chaldeans sweep through and trample our city—we are still not abandoned. God walks through us through ever low (and every high) we experience. God speaks to us directly and through our loved ones or acquaintances or even complete strangers. God will and does answer our complaint—that’s a promise.
What things do I find it hardest to wait for in my life?
