Jump Start # 1536

Matthew 25:19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.”

  Our verse today comes from the parable of the talents. This is the second of three parables that has a similar theme about the coming judgment. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins, the parable of the talents and the parable of the sheep and the goats each detail specific principles about the Lord’s return and the judgment that is to come. In each of the stories, Jesus is gone for a period of time. He returns.

 

Our verse, from the talents, has Jesus as the master. He has been gone a long time. It’s that long time thought that I want to explore today.

 

I read recently of a prisoner who was denied parole. He was denied for the 15th time. He has been in prison more than 45 years. That’s a long time. We remember Abraham waiting for the child of promise to be born. It took 25 years for that to come about. That’s a long time. We remember Daniel in the lion’s den. Most think that Daniel was a teenager and that story is used for Friday night devos. Daniel was taken captive with other young Jewish men by Babylon. The captivity lasted 70 years. When Daniel prays, it’s during the reign of the Persians. Daniel has been in a foreign land for 70 or more years. Daniel is not a teenager, but a senior citizen. He may have been in his 80’s or 90’s by the time he is caught praying to God. The woman with the issue of blood had her disease for a dozen years. She had grown worse and spent all that she had but nothing helped.

 

A long time. Generally what follows a long time is patience. Waiting upon the Lord. Waiting for the Lord to come through.

 

 

The Long Time wait can make one think that God has forgotten. One can begin to believe that things will never get better. The long time wait can wear patience out and one can begin to doubt. They doubt that their prayers will ever be heard or answered. They can doubt that God will be good on His promises.

 

• Some have had long time health issues. Like the woman with the issue of blood, some have dealt with failing health for decades. This has made them very weary.

 

• Some have waited for prodigals to come home for a long time. Sons and daughters that are living in the far country of sin and every night moms and dads pray for their return. They have talked, begged, asked questions of these prodigals, but there doesn’t seem to be any movement. They seem content in the far country. The long wait has made these parents weary.

 

• Some have waited a long time for changes in their mate. Maybe promises have been made to stop drinking or to take more interest in the kids but nothing changes. Promises are broken again and again. The long wait for one to change has made some consider leaving the marriage. It has led to many nights of crying on the inside.

 

• Some have waited for God to open doors for them. They are wanting a way out and are looking for a better way. They have prayed and prayed but nothing seems to be happening. It may be a better job. It may be waiting for a church to turn around. It may be waiting for shepherds to be appointed. Wait and wait and wait.

 

The long wait can lead to two consequences. First, one just gives up. They decide that things will never get any better so they resolve that misery will be their companion. They are not happy about this, but they feel that there is nothing that they can do.

 

Second, the long wait can lead to some taking matters into their own hands. Abraham and Sarah did that. That’s where Hagar enters the picture. She was their solution to the long wait. She was the wrong solution. We can become tired of waiting and we can take actions in our own hands. But like Abraham and Sarah, our actions may be the wrong actions.

 

In the Psalms we find:

Wait upon the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord (27:14)

Our souls wait for the Lord; He is our help and shield (33:20)

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him (37:7)

…those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land (37:9)

 

Waiting for the Lord and waiting for others is not the same. The Lord’s promises are good and true. We must be patient. We may wait for the Lord to answer our prayers “yes,” when He has already answered them “no.” God is good. God can be trusted. God doesn’t keep schedules like we do.

 

Waiting for people is another story. Some won’t change. Some don’t care to change. Some can’t see beyond themselves. Patience runs extremely thin when waiting on others. We can make and break promises. We change our minds. We say things that we never intend to follow through on. The wait for others is hard. Patience, prayer and hope –that’s what keeps us going.

 

A radio station many years ago had listeners call in to describe the word “forever.” Some named a stop light at certain intersections. Waiting for the light to turn green was “forever.” One identified a fast food place that wasn’t very fast. Another talked about waiting for a package to be delivered. One woman described forever as waiting for her husband to apologize. Waiting. Waiting a long time.

 

Has it been a long time since you talked to God? Really talked to Him?

Has it been a long time since you held your mates hand and told him/her that you love them?

Has it been a long time since you really opened up the Bible and dived into a fascinating study?

Has it been a long time since you had a family from church in your home?

Has it been a long time since you thanked  God?

Has it been a long time since you sang hymns in your car?

Has it been a long time since you told God that you loved Him?

Has it been a long time since you told God you were sorry for what you did?

 

Have you ever thought how long God has been waiting on us? How long did it take for us to finally “get it?” How long he was patient with us? How long…

 

A long time…

 

Roger