A Response to Uncertainty

As for me, I will look to the Lord, in confidence I will keep watch and in hope and expectancy wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me.  -- Micah 7:7 (verse from memory)

Micah supplies these words of personal resolve in response to his assessment of society expressed in the earlier verses of chapter 7.  He has just finished proclaiming that there is nobody anywhere who can be trusted, nobody that you can look to for help, and murder is common.

When listening or reading the news I frequently find myself starting to bemoan: "What is happening to society?  It is getting worse..."  But I usually pull myself up really quickly and remember some of these words tumbling out of my mom's mouth when I was younger.  For example, she would say things like, "I don't know what to make of the youth of today."  So, not wanting to be like my mom I stop myself, but I still find myself thinking it.  Then, I see that Micah and other prophets felt similarly clear back 3000 years ago.  In fact, is there an older generation anywhere who has not puzzled over the quirks and oddities of the younger generations, or the problems a society meets over time?

One constancy and hope is the eyes and hands of God never stray.  Difficulties come along, many of them extremely hard to bear.  The future is frequently murky and uncertain.  The response to have is to rest in the promise: "my God will hear me."  God WILL hear.  God will act and is on duty at all times steering eternity such that it will end up hopeful and be kindly toward us.  This is faith: to look, to keep watch, to wait.

Prayer:
God, in your mercy, hear my prayers.  Help me to rest patiently in you and wait expectantly to see the magnificent solutions you create.  In Christ and through Christ we pray.  Amen.