Psalm 130:5-6
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
During a recent discussion about this passage I was struck by the idea of watchmen waiting for the morning. When I hear that description I imagine soldiers waiting in towers above a city through the night, straining their eyes to watch for any sign of danger. I imagine staring off into the deepest darkness of the night, hoping that all is safe, and longing for the first glimpse of daylight to know that the long night of uncertainty, unknown danger, and exhaustion has passed. I imagine waiting for a security that seems so distant and unfamiliar in the moment, but is guaranteed just beyond the horizon.
I then turned to reflect on how I tend to wait for the Lord. Do I wait in expectancy and longing? Do I wait as if my life and the lives of those around me depend on the future hope that I cling to? If I’m being honest I often don’t find myself waiting more than watchmen for the morning. Sometimes I wait as a child, waiting for the end of the school day, annoyed by the inconvenience of having to continue to try to stay focused when there are more interesting things to be done. At other times I find myself waiting as a marathon runner (I assume), exhausted, pushing toward a finish line, and anticipating the rest and relaxation that will follow. At times I even wait as someone waiting for an exciting trip, looking forward to fun new sights and experiences. And then there are the times when I find I’m really not waiting at all and living as if the tasks of the day ahead are all there is to life. But admittedly I rarely find myself waiting with the longing desperation of a watchman waiting for the morning.
And yet, this year as I have seen the suffering around me of those whom I know and care deeply about, of those I’ve only met briefly or heard of, and of those whom I’ll never have the chance to meet I have found myself learning to wait in desperation. I have found myself looking at my city, my country, and our world, and longing for the return of our Good King who has promised to return to make all things new. So as we enter this season of Advent, while I pray and hope for an end of this present suffering and for the emergence of the peace and wholeness that we’ve been promised, I also pray that I will continue to learn to wait in desperation, more than watchmen for the morning, longing for the return of the Light of the World and His Kingdom of Peace.