Hurry Up!

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! 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 ESV). Have you ever been in a position where you needed something “now”? Not long ago Mary and I began the process of transferring registrations and documents from Tennessee to Texas. We thought that our Driver’s License would be the first to transfer of the licensing, registrations and insuring of our vehicles. Well, that’s not exactly correct. We did a little research on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles website and secured all the proper documentation, which was extensive to say the least. Since we really don’t yet have a “permanent address,” we needed affidavits, birth certificates, marriage licenses, specific ID’s, and a lengthy application form. We did get all those things together and went to the office to patiently wait in line only to be told, “Oh, you can’t go by the information on the web site; it’s all wrong.” It seems we not only had the wrong documentation, but we also did not follow the right steps in the process. The Driver’s License comes last! I wanted to scream… “Hurry up and get this done!” I mean, how long can it really take? The Psalmist may have felt some of that frustration in our reading today. He wants God’s help and he wants it now. There’s nothing unusual about that; it is a common human trait. We often try to rush God! I have found that my timetable is almost always ahead of God’s. But his timetable is perfect. We need to recognize that our timetable is flawed. We base it on a limited insight. But God’s timetable is perfect, based on his perfect knowledge of all things. Of course there is nothing wrong with praying for the quick return of Christ; there is nothing wrong with asking God to intervene in the pain and suffering of this world quickly. However, we would do better to recognize that while that is our tendency and prayer, it is always better to temper our desire to hurry God along with a healthy dose of understanding that his timing is always perfect. The difficult circumstances of life make that even more important. Changing our focus to one with an eternal end will also change your level of frustration at the seeming silence of God toward your requests. After all, we don’t always give our children what they want when they want it. Our heavenly Father loves us with a perfect love. He knows when and how to answer our prayers. Wait patiently on the Lord, and he will bring it to pass. Don’t panic. God is never late.