December 26, 2019 -- Psalm 119:82 -- Delayed gratification

My eyes long for your promise;

I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

Psalm 119:82 English Standard Version

The word in Hebrew for eyes in other contexts is translated fountains of water. That seems so appropriate, our eyes are fountains of tears when we are longing for something denied us. Why would the LORD our God delay in answering us? Why does the psalmist have to wait?

God delays His comfort when we are asking only half-heartedly.

God delays His comfort when we are asking for things not according to His promise, rather, we are seeking things that would be destructive to us.

God delays His comfort when we are cherishing sin in our hearts and therefore are not sincere in our desire to truly long for Him. We want God and we want to serve our own longings.

God delays His comfort when we are used to instant gratification. We want something. We get it. We acquire it. We order it.no.matter.the.cost: credit, hurting others, going into debt, acquiring something we already have in order to get the latest model and so on.

Our Father does not give in to our lust for instant gratification, He works in us by His Spirit to train our longings. His delays refine us. We begin to see that our desires can only be truly satisfied in knowing Jesus Christ. He is the Promise of God. The original language names Jesus not as the promise but as the Word of God—that is in keeping with the Gospel of John and the letters of John.

This passage reminds us God is in charge. He is the Master. He is the Source of every good in our lives. We are His slaves. We are His people dependent on Him for every good thing. We do not approach demanding. We approach Him aware of His mercy shown us in Jesus Christ. We cry out to Him with tears because the Spirit Who lives in us, knows the deep things of our heart and brings our very selves to our Master Craftsman. We see the standard He has set for us and in our times of waiting for His comfort we realize how much we fall short of such standards. Even so, we are His workmanship and He will refine us, plane us, chisel us, and mold us accomplishing His purposes in us, and through us and through the community He has placed us in until His glory shines out most clearly.

Gracious Lord, yourself impart, Light of light from God proceeding;

open lips and ears and heart; help us by your Spirit’s leading.

Hear the cry your church now raises; Lord, accept our prayers and praises. Amen.

Text: Tobias Clausnitzer, 1663 tr. Catherine Winkworth

Tune: Johann R. Ahle, 1664

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhbTXFHv5Uc