“We who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly…” Rom. 8:23
Lord Jesus, we live with a relentless ache for peace. In the past several months, this ache has been fertilized with the “messes” in this world and the Spirit of hope. As Paul said, we “groan eagerly.”
Though we’ve found eternal peace in the Gospel, the DNA we carry from the Garden of Eden, and the promises you have made about our coming life in the new heaven and new earth, make it hard to wait. We’re not good at waiting, Jesus.
We’re like children demanding 3 o’clock snacks before a 5 o’clock-supper. We don’t want celery, we want chocolate. Cravings and aches take over. Longings morph into a sense of entitlement, and entitlement becomes angry demandingness. When we want relief more than we want you, we make bad choices. Help us, Jesus.
As we begin this pandemic-marred, post-impeachment, pre-inauguration weekend… on this January 15th Friday, in this very moment, you are the Prince of Peace, the King of calm, the Lord of serenity. You’re not the anxious one, we are.
Until the Day of all things new and beautiful, fill and free our hearts with your peace, Jesus. Replace our demandingness with gratefulness. Don’t decrease our good groaning, but increase our trust-filled waiting. So very Amen we pray, in your tender and triumphant name.
