Through Perseverance We Wait Eagerly
What are you praying for today?
Was it (among other requests) the same prayer request lifted yesterday?
Soon will arrive tomorrow, and when it does come, will you be on your knees lifting the same prayer need, the same request, the same petition to the Lord?
Oftentimes, we like to avoid trouble. We look for ways to stop all stressful situations from entering our lives, but could it be that God sent the testing, the trial, the struggle to us in order to prepare us, to grow us, and to draw us closer to Him?
Today, let’s use this moment to consider God, and as we do, let us also consider God’s purpose—from His vantage place rather than from our station in this earthly world. As we begin, let’s do what is best. Let us see God’s Word. Let us open our hearts and read what the LORD GOD our FATHER speaks to us today.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
(Romans 8: 18-27 NASB)
For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope.
that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
What a most glorious passage from God’s Holy Word!
Walk with me into one of my English classrooms; see the young adult students who sit at tables fashioned together to form a “U-shape.” This unique shape has joined us together as a community. When the students speak during class, they are not facing the teacher but one another. It is a conversation of writing, of life, or essay revisions and edits, and a talk of oneness we share within that classroom. To show this community, walk with me into this Thursday’s class session.
“There is a bulletin board out front in the entryway that you passed when you walked into the building. Actually, there are two. Did you see whose photo was posted on the first board as Student of the Week? Immediately all eyes moved to a certain student sitting among us, the one we knew whose photo we saw.
After a time of praise for this student’s hard work and a discussion of the perks to be received for her recognition, I moved the conversation to bulletin board #2. Affixed to that surface were colorful pockets (created by our Bekah, our Student Support Coordinator) and within those nine pockets were colorful slips of small papers. Written across each pocket was a single word—a Fruit of God’s Spirit. Written upon every slip of paper was a Bible verse that connected to the fruit that matched the pocket. Thanks should go out to Bro. Greg our Campus Minister for this gift of his work to gather all these verses for our nine pockets.
As the class time began, I changed the way a devotional lesson was to be shared. “Tonight, I want you each to walk out to the second bulletin board, select one Fruit of the Spirit, and then pull one slip of paper, one verse from that pocket. Then, once we return, each person will have an opportunity to share his verse with the class and briefly discuss how this verse is applicable to his life.”
I could sense their curiosity.
They stood, walked out to retrieve their verse as I remained, holding my selected verse in my hand.
When they returned, I busied myself with start-of-class tasks: taking attendance and preparing our screen projection, as I gave them time to read their chosen verse and think about their lives.
After a couple of minutes, I spoke words that changed the mood of the room. “Okay, everyone. Let’s share our verses, and as we do, share out a sentence or two so that we can know how this verse applies to your life.
I could sense their apprehension. It was palpable yet I forged forward because I knew it was what God led me to do this night.
“Now, let’s do something that we normally do not do, let’s begin with the boys within the room, and let’s allow the “oldest” guy to go first.” All eyes immediately moved to the guy sitting on the right side of the “U-shaped” tables.
Then I said: “To demonstrate, I will read my chosen verse—first.” That’s when I read my verse and realized immediately what I should share.
“But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”
(Romans 8: 25 NASB)
“As you know, God has gifted me with two daughters, and one is a child of God and one is not. I feel that this verse applies to my life in that I am to persevere in prayer, lifting my daughter’s name to the Lord, “hoping” as I do that her eyes will be opened to the salvation through Jesus that our Father provides for those who believe and trust in Jesus. I am persevering in prayer, patiently waiting upon God.”
One-by-one, each student shared his verse and its application to his life. For sure, it was the best devotion time we had shared within our community. Thank you, Bekah. Thank you, Greg. Thank You, Father God.
So, today, I ask— What are you praying for today?
Let us persevere.
Today, let us consider God, and as we do, let us also consider God’s purpose—from His vantage place rather than from our station in this earthly world.
While we may cringe at the difficulties we face in our lives, and we may cry out, “Why me, LORD?” as we face our struggles and trials.
Help us recall how we are to bow down upon our knees recalling that God may have sent the struggle, the trial, or the stressful situation to us for our spiritual growth.
The Bible theologian Matthew Henry said it like this—“When God intends to bless His people, the first thing He does is to set them a-praying.”
- May we pray with our eyes upon God rather than our situation.
- May we pray with our eyes, trusting God rather than stressing over our trial.
- May we pray with our eyes upon God, seeing the unseen.
- May we pray with our eyes upon God, patiently waiting through perseverance in prayer, eagerly awaiting what only God can do.