The Night Shift

"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning..." (Psalm 130:5-6) Imagine a city in ancient times. It is surrounded by enemies.

It is pitch black outside. On the high wall stands a Watchman . His job is to stare into the darkness. It is cold. He is tired. He wants to sleep. But he knows one thing for sure: The Sun Will Rise. He doesn't "hope" the sun rises.

He doesn't "pray" for the sun to rise. He knows it is coming. He just has to stay awake until it does. Biblical Waiting is not passive (like waiting for a bus). Biblical Waiting is active (like a Watchman).

It is standing on the wall. It is scanning the horizon. It is an aggressive expectation. The Watchman says: "It is dark now, but I bet my life that the Light is coming."

This is Eschatological Hope (Hope in the End). We are living in the "Night" of the world. But Romans 13:12 says, "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here." When you are going through a dark time (grief, loss), act like a Watchman.

Don't deny the darkness (it's real). But don't deny the dawn (it's coming). Reflect on this: Are you asleep or keeping watch? When life gets hard, do you check out (numb yourself)? Or do you stand on the wall and pray?

The Watchman is the most important person in the city. 👣 Take a Step Action: The Morning Watch. Set your alarm 15 minutes early tomorrow, while it is still dark. Sit by a window. Watch the sky turn from black to gray to blue.

Remind your soul: "Just as surely as the sun comes up, God's help is coming."