How long O, Lord?
“This grieves me so much. I truly don’t understand. Bringing this to the feet of Jesus with you.”
This is one of the many texts I have sent recently. Many others are in a similar vein – I repeat myself like a broken record – “I’m praying for you!” Life lately has felt heavy. I’ve walked with friends through grief, loss, and disappointment. My prayer list overflows with heartfelt requests to comfort the brokenhearted, heal broken bodies, open blind eyes, protect, provide, redeem, restore. My family, neighbors, friends, community, country, and world are aching. I hear their stories, I know their faces, and I grieve with them.
The older I get, the more I long for Christ’s glorious return. Naive 16-year-old me longed for a husband and a family more than Jesus’ second coming. I didn’t quite yet understand the beauty of eternity with God and the brokenness of this world. While marriage and children are both incredible gifts from the Father that I have now been blessed with, I also carry wounds from life in this world. I’ve seen more hurt, experienced more loss, felt the weight of this present darkness, witnessed evil on display.
Like the psalmist, I cry out, “How long O, Lord?” (Psalm 13 ESV) and the martyrs at the altar “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge?” (Revelation 6:10 ESV)
Are you longing for God’s justice to put an end to the evil and brokenness in this world?
I am. I’m longing for Truth to be seen, eyes to be opened, prayers to be heard, life to be restored, evil to be avenged, hope to be present. I am tired of the innocent being abused, the vulnerable being trampled, the sanctity of life not being upheld. I’m tired of terrible news headlines, grievous medical diagnoses, deranged minds, confused youth, broken marriages, and death.
If you too find yourselves crying out “how long?”, it might be time to read Revelation. I’ll be honest, I always thought the last book of the Bible was for theologians, conspiracy theorists, and people who were really into the Left Behind series in the 90s. But girlfriend, there is gospel truth, holy conviction, and encouragement for the weary soul in these pages. Our good, gracious, and holy God will avenge the world and bring justice. We, with the heavenly realms, can proclaim “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” (Revelation 16:7 ESV)
All of scripture is a testimony of God’s faithfulness and Revelation leaves us with a promise that all will be made right. We can know deep down in our souls that nothing is missed, unseen, or forgotten by the one true God. For it is he “who searches mind and heart” and it is he who will “give to each of you according to your works.” (Revelation 2:23 ESV)
Generations of Christians have looked at a broken world and asked the Lord “how long?” We don’t get that answer but we do know that the last promise in the Bible is “surely I am coming soon.” (Revelation 22:20 ESV)
May we be ready.
May we face the darkness today knowing that the light will win. May we be vigilant to remember our first love, repent, obey his commands, and walk like Jesus. There is evil, darkness, and an enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy. Don’t let him steal your joy, your hope, your light. And most of all, “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 ESV)
