WAITING THROUGH THE NIGHT

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning—yes, more than those who watch for the morning. Psalm 130:6 (NKJV)

‍

Have you ever noticed that problems seem worse at night? When you receive bad news or go to bed angry at your spouse, it's hard to sleep. But when you get up in the morning and see the sun break over the horizon, it's amazing how much hope it can bring.

Today's verse compares waiting on God to watching for the morning. Isaiah 52:7 (NLT) gives us a beautiful picture of what this means: "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!"

In the old days, when enemies attacked a city, they would surround the walls so that a runner couldn't be sent out to get help. Some cities built hidden tunnels exactly for this purpose—to sneak a runner past the army. As this man would run, the city soldiers would fight for their lives on the walls to keep the army at bay. All the while, their eyes would be on the surrounding hills. Why? Because when they saw the runner returning, they knew reinforcements were coming behind him!

This passage and today's psalm both give us an incredible key to what it means to wait on the Lord. When the going gets tough, look for God like a sentry watching for the sunrise or those soldiers waiting for a runner. Declare His goodness. Expect answers. Tears may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). God's strength is yours and help is coming!