The Waiting Times
Unjustly in the dungeon’s depths,
Then hope flared bright and died
As “two full years” dripped slowly by
While Joseph stayed inside.
Impatient people checking in
To hear God’s final word;
A week, ten days of silence first
Ere Jeremiah heard.
For “three full weeks” old Daniel mourned
While good and evil warred
Until the angel sent arrived
With comfort from the Lord.
Held captive in a pagan court
As evil rose and schemed
Before the dangerous moment came
When Esther intervened.
Life’s youthful years of dreams passed by
Without a single note
As God Himself in human form
Grew up without a quote.
Unfairly held to please the mob,
Imprisoned on a whim,
As years crept by with Paul locked up
While churches longed for him.
Take heart in such a company
When life is passing by,
The waiting times aren’t wasted ones –
God knows the when and why.
Christina Joy Hommes
Genesis 41:1; Jeremiah 42:7; Daniel 10:2, 13; Acts 24:27; 28:3; Psalm 27:14
Very well done, Christina! A good reminder that God is in control and His timing is perfect, even when His servants are suffering
Thank you! I’m so thankful that we can trust the Lord completely even before we understand what He’s doing.
Thank you, Christina. We are in a series on Job for our combined Sunday School. There are several teachers and I have the next lesson–chapter 38 through the first few verses of 40. Anyway, I see Job fitting in this poem. he waited for God’s deliverance, but was demanding God to tell him “why” he suffered. God answered Job in chapters 38 and 39, but never told Job why, only “trust me–I created the foundations of the earth; I give rain to the barren wilderness; I care for the hungry raven–trust me, I will care for you.” As always, your poem has been a blessing. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing. Those are such great chapters. Knowing from the story of Job and others that God knows why even when He doesn’t tell us is such a comfort and help. May the Lord help us wait on Him in humble faith.