Friday 13th February - Waiting for good

DAILY BYTE

We have seen the wise men demonstrate for us this week that praise is the one and often only response that we can offer to God freely and authentically, even when it is dark, because praise does not only indicate elation and ecstasy.

Praise must also mean faith in a tiny, seemingly unrealistic promise of a world renewed and restored by the power of a loving and almighty God. Praise is not only for the good times, times of plenty, times of prosperity and good health, but it is for all times, the ones that bring us happiness and the ones that cause us pain.

For little children born into squalor and for each of us here today, we must learn to praise God holding the joys and the sadnesses in both hands. We met one of these children amidst the devotions for this week. His name is Lindokuhle.

So, as we prepare for the weekend and Sabbath rest, let us, as Lindokuhle’s name encourages, "wait for good" in the spirit of faith.

For goodness is what God has promised us in the birth of Jesus.

Let us join with all of creation, young and old, rich and poor, flying things and creatures of the deep, singing praises to a God who loved us so much that He risked everything to come down to us.

And though it was dark and there was little hope for light in sight, those who journeyed to see him found ample reason for praise.

Does your life still seem dark? Is there little hope for light in sight? If you take some time to think about the good that entered the world in the humble form of Christ and if you contemplate the striking creativity of God’s created young and old, flying things and creatures of the deep, do you think there may be something good waiting for you? Do you think you can hang on and wait for the good promises of God in your life?

Is it possible that God is there waiting for you? Is this not the ultimate reason for praise?

PRAY AS YOU GO

Pray this prayer of waiting for good, written by Walter Brueggemann from his book, Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann:

God, we are strange conundrums of faithfulness and fickleness. We cleave to you in all the ways that we are able. We count on you and intend our lives to be lived for you, and then we find ourselves among your people who are always seeking elsewhere and otherwise. So we give thanks that you are the God who yearns and waits for us, and that our connection to you is always from your side, and that it is because of your goodness that neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor heights nor depths nor anything in creation can separate us from you. We give you thanks for your faithfulness, so much more durable than ours. Amen.

FOCUS TEXT

Psalm 148:13-14

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!