Luther Seminary “Moved by the Promise ‘God Pause’” - Monday, 2 December 2013 – Psalm 130

Luther Seminary “Moved by the Promise ‘God Pause’” - Monday, 2 December 2013 – Psalm 130: 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

    and in his word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the Lord

    more than those who watch for the morning,

    more than those who watch for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!

    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

    and with him is great power to redeem.(NRSV)

Waiting rooms in the offices of doctors and walk-in clinics are aptly named. More often than not, patients find themselves waiting for a not-so insignificant amount of time in order to see a doctor or nurse. The magazines collected in those spaces provide an easy distraction to numb our impatience and occupy our time, inviting us to get caught up in the latest celebrity breakup or the latest, greatest diet craze. The psalmist also knows how to wait, but it is a kind of waiting marked not by impatience or mindless distraction but a waiting that generates hope and renews strength. The psalmist knows God's word and trusts it. But this word is not offered as a private consolation. The word is meant to be shared, and so the psalmist declares to the rest of the community—to the people of Israel—"hope in the Lord!" As we wait for the dawning of Christ's light, dwelling in God's word renews our hope and gives us the confidence to declare God's redeeming love to the world.

Laura Thelander

Seminary Pastor, Luther Seminary

Master of Divinity , 1997

Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.(NRSV)

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