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The Joy Of Waiting
1 Samuel
1:19-28
For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted
me my petition. (1 Samuel 1:27)
Nine months can seem like forever for a mother-to-be. In
the first trimester, hormonal changes sometimes cause lingering morning
sickness. Emotions rise to the surface, prolonging afternoon blues. Then
a changing appetite stretches out evening hours with late-night cravings
for pizza, chocolate, and dill pickles.
During the next 3 months,
Mom outgrows her clothes and spends long hours looking for a new
wardrobe. The last trimester turns normal activity into a chore as the
final watch begins.
Then, suddenly the endless
waiting is over. Nine months become like yesterday’s newspaper. They are
gone. They become insignificant, a faint memory—overcome by joy. Ask the
new mom if she regrets enduring her pregnancy. Never!
Hannah’s wait began even
more slowly. For years she was unable to have a child. She felt so
unfulfilled, so dishonored (1 Samuel 1). But the Lord remembered her, and
she conceived. Her joy was complete.
Hannah waited patiently and
saw the Lord turn her sorrow into overflowing joy. Her song (2:1-10) is a
reminder that disappointment and the most bitter distress can lead to
fulfillment and delight. For those who wait on the Lord, long hours of
enduring will one day give way to rejoicing.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, strengthen me to wait upon
you.Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God's gift of joy is worth the wait.
Christian Education Forum,
Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church
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