Does life seem to be moving faster than you want it to? When people are young, the hands on the clock seem to move frightfully slowly. As we grow older, time seems to speed up. The oldest among us speak of swiftly passing years, making life seem short even as we stand in awe at the door of eternity.
Daniel is someone from whom we learn much about living for God. He realized that because time seems to fly, people want to act immediately. Yet acting hastily can lead to disaster. Daniel, God’s instrument of wisdom and integrity in ancient Babylon, asked for time from the king so that God in his own time might make known the dream and the interpretation to his servant Daniel.
That is what we need to pray for as well. We must trust God for patience to wait. Waiting for God to lead you to a spouse, to having children, or to a satisfying job can stretch your faith. But when the waiting is filled with hope and trust, it can also be a time of peace and quiet joy.
Join Daniel in asking for time to seek God’s advice. Take time to hear the Lord whisper; take time to have him more fully answer your prayers; take time to grow to know God and walk with him. We all need time to hear God plainly and to respond obediently.
Father in heaven, the world wants me to hurry through things. Help me to trust only in you, my heavenly Father. Give me joy in human relationships and especially in my relationship with you. Amen.
About the author — Jack Gray
Jack Gray recently retired after forty years as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. During that time he served seven churches from coast to coast in the United States. He and his wife, Wanda, have four sons and three grandchildren. They also have ministered to 44 foster children. This month’s devotions are inspired by his reflections on time at this transition in his life.
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