Trusting God in the Midst of Delay

God's Intent: The Law and the Promise of Inheritance

Imagine someone chooses to bless you with a great inheritance. Yet, the trustees who were meant to safeguard the inheritance, decide to withhold it. They impose restrictions and conditions the giver never intended. Meanwhile, they profit from what was meant for you, while you remain in a position of servitude, deprived of what is rightfully yours.

This is what it was like in the days of the Pharisees.

God gave His people the Law, not as a burden, but as a means to prepare them for the coming of Jesus, who would fulfill the Law on their behalf and lead them into their true inheritance. That inheritance was nothing less than God Himself, along with every promise He made to bless His people.

To guide them, God entrusted the Law and the Scriptures to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Their role was to help the people recognize the Messiah and receive their inheritance- the gift of God's presence and generous grace. But instead of pointing people to God, the Pharisees added man-made rules and religious burdens that obscured the heart of God's will. They turned God's gift into a system of control and exploitation, enriching themselves at the expense of those they were meant to serve.

The Echo of Lament

This abuse of trust and power echoes the lament of the prophet Jeremiah. The prophet cried out to God when he witnessed the prosperity of the wicked in an unjust system. Jeremiah wasn’t suffering for wrongdoing, but precisely because of his faithfulness. His pain was inflicted not by foreign enemies, but by his own people, those who should have been his allies.

Our grief may not mirror Jeremiah's but when we observe the dishonest getting rich and those who deal fairly being oppressed, don't many of us share the same frustration? Or when those who are meant to watch over us are the ones robbing us blind, aren't we tempted to question God's justice? Our faith can be left shaken when wickedness goes unpunished and integrity reaps no reward but more hardship.

Job expressed this same confusion. The Lord described Job as a righteous man, yet Job faced profound oppression as he endured severe loss, tormenting pain, judgement by his wife, and false accusations by his friends. The experiences of Jeremiah and Job remind us that even the faithful can face hardship that seems undeserved and inexplicable.

And yet, in our confusion, God speaks:

“Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” –Psalm 37:1-4

The Lord is Our Source of Hope

We are to delight in the LORD.

These words shift our gaze from the source of our frustration to the source of our hope. We're reminded that this life is fleeting. When measured against eternity our trials are a breath, while God's promises are forever. It puts into perspective the futility of the prosperity of the wicked. Their time will soon end as flowers that have blossomed quickly wither. Rather than dwell on the temporary, the Lord directs our focus onto what is lasting. The Lord is our trust, and our decision to live with integrity is not about applause or award. The LORD who reigns over all is the dispenser of all good things. He Himself is our reward.

Beloved, remember that the Lord sees all. 

He sees the heart and will of every person. The patterns of compromise, as well as the quiet obedience and hidden sacrifices. And He will respond. He may not respond immediately, but He will respond justly. God is a God of justice and righteousness, by His very nature He will not allow evil to go unanswered, nor faithfulness unrewarded.

Jeremiah's lament did not silence His proclamation of God's goodness and trust in His promises. Job's endurance of loss was met with God's restoration and grace. God met both of these individuals in their grief, and He does the same for us today.

So, if you belong to Him, hear His encouragement:

Do not despair, trust. 

Do not give up, trust. 

Do not seek revenge, trust. 

The Inheritance that Cannot Be Stolen

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law sought to exalt themselves, but their pride and greed left them spiritually blind. They were unable to see that God's inheritance is not something to be earned, controlled, or withheld, it is an act of His unmerited grace and favour. It is given, not grasped. Perhaps you're up against "Pharisees" in your life. Take this to heart: even when others attempt to withhold or distort the blessings God has for you, even when justice seems delayed, God remains faithful.

In due time His justice will prevail. He is a promise keeper to all who trust Him by faith. And ultimately, the inheritance God offers is secure. It cannot be stolen. It cannot be corrupted by those who misuse power. It cannot be lost.

In Jesus, we receive what no one can take away: God's presence, God's promises, God's gracious reward.

Let us stay anchored in faith in the midst of delay.

A Prayer for Trust and Grace in times of Delay

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your grace that you have freely given us, though we did nothing to earn it. We thank you that we can wake up today and rejoice because in You, Lord, we have attained the world. You are our treasure in whom we delight. Teach our hearts to delight in You through every season. And help us to see all the ways You choose to enrich us that we may posture ourselves to receive joyfully, and freely give unto others.

Father, the reality of our broken world is at times difficult to ignore. When we feel pressed, frustrated, or hopeless, may Your presence be our anchor, our comfort, and our hope. We pray against any form of hindrance that stands in the way of receiving all that You want us to enjoy in You as heirs of Your promises. Remove every obstacle and overcome any ungodly delays meant to cause disruption, that Your will and purpose for us may be fully realized to the glory of Your Holy name. And as we endure in the waiting Lord, may we endure by your grace that we may never stop proclaiming your praise. In Jesus name. Amen.