How Long?
1. We Wonder, "How Long?"
A while back someone asked me, "How long are you going to keep up your Christmas tree?" We spent Christmas in the hospital and I was determined to keep it up until we could spend Christmas with our grandchildren, at least those who live locally. We were finally able to give Madison and Grayson their gifts Friday. Christmas is so special with grandchildren. Grayson is two and when he pulled Snoopy out of the bag he asked, "Can I keep him?" So, after working all Saturday morning to get it done, my tree and all the decorations have been put away. Sometimes we don't know "How long?" and other times we do, as when Elsa asked me last week, "How long until my birthday?" I told her it was ten days. We may feel tired and weary and although we may not say it out loud, we often cry out to the Lord and wonder, "How long?" We are not alone. There are a few times in the Bible when someone asked, "How long?" Let's look at some of those verses this week.
2. How Long Are You Slack To Claim God's Promises?
I was praying about what to do for our new devotional theme, and as I was reading in the book of Joshua I felt drawn to this verse. "And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?" (Joshua 18:3) They had stopped wandering in the wilderness and gone in to the Promised Land. But seven tribes had not claimed their inheritance. God gave it to them. All they had to do was put their trust in God and go in and claim it. I think about the people who have heard how Jesus died for them. They know that when they put their trust in Jesus and ask Him to save them, they will receive everlasting life. But, they are still waiting. Today, we ask the question, "How long will you wait?" Don't wait until it is too late. I also think about all the promises that the Lord has made for us in His Word. They are there for us, yet we are slack to claim them. Let's stop waiting. Let's believe the Lord is able to keep His Word. Let's go forward into this year putting all our trust in the Lord! "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
3. "How Long Halt Ye Between Two Opinions?"
When I thought of writing these devotionals on "How Long?" I immediately remembered Elijah on Mount Carmel in his stand for the Lord against the prophets of Baal. "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." (I Kings 18:21) Elijah told the people to make a decision... follow God, or follow the false god, Baal. "And the people answered him not a word." We recently looked at Deuteronomy 10:12, "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul," Joshua was a man of God who served Him with all his heart. Beginning in Exodus 17, we find him leading the battle against Amalek. He is called a minister and servant to Moses, and in Joshua 3 we see him leading the Children of Israel across the River Jordan on dry ground. He served the Lord all those years of wandering in the wilderness, as he and Caleb were the only two spies who wanted to go into the Promised Land and were allowed to go in. When he came to the end of his life, at 110 years old, he said, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15) He didn't quit! He made the decision to serve God early in life, and he stuck with it. Have you decided to follow Jesus? Don't quit now!
4. "How Long Shall The Wicked Triumph?"
It is so hard when the wicked rule. It may be the ruler of a small company who cheats to prosper, or higher up to leadership positions in government. No matter what level it's on, it is terrible when the wicked triumph. We can find examples all through the Bible of wicked rulers. Manasseh, the evil king of Judah, reigned 55 years. "Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD." (II Kings 21:16) The writer of Psalm 94 cries out to God, "LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" (Psalm 94:3-4) We also see this sentiment in Psalm 73.
"2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish." (Psalm 73:2-7)
This writer had a problem understanding why the wicked sometimes prosper. But, he realized that the prosperity of the wicked doesn't last. Continue in Psalm 73:16, 17 & 19. "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end... How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors." When you get discouraged at the trouble caused by the wicked, and you ask the Lord, "How long?" remember their end. Pray that they will find the Lord before it is too late. Here is the conclusion of Psalm 73. "For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them... But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works." (vs. 27-28)
5. "O LORD, How Long?"
I got married when I was 17. I did a lot of the cooking and cleaning for my Mom, so I was used to that part of adulthood. What really made me feel like an adult and gave me the realization that I was managing my own home, was going to the grocery store for the first time. Before I went I sat down and wrote out a list so that I would know what we needed. We had no food in the house at all! I remember walking around the store and thinking, "I can buy anything I want to buy!" I knew that we had a budget and I couldn't spend too much, but I got to choose what to get. I know a lot of people complain about buying groceries, but I like walking down the aisles, looking for the best produce and meats, and being able to compare prices with items side by side on the shelf. With the isolation before and after Michael's surgery, because of Covid, I didn't get to go to the grocery store for many weeks. Different ones in my family picked up items for me, until I finally decided to order groceries online and pick them up. I didn't get everything I ordered, and some items were substituted, but it worked. It's just not me. I still enjoy picking out my own groceries. In Psalm 6:3, David prayed, "My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?" I wonder how many of us are saying that about all the Covid restrictions and mandates. "O LORD, how long?" We are well over a year in the pandemic, and we are tired of sickness. We want it to be over. We want schools and businesses to be open. Last summer it seemed like forever before I could go get a hair cut. The hardest time was when I spent day after day at the hospital with Michael, and I wanted so much to hug my children and grandchildren, but knew I couldn't take the chance of carrying germs into the hospital. We are saying like David, "My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?" The word, "vexed" is not common today, but an online search of synonyms through Merriam-Webster gives us; "aggravated, annoyed, bothered, exasperated, irked, and irritated." We can surely say that these times have left us with these feelings, and many more. Our words of encouragement today come from another Psalm of David. We can be sure that our times are in His hand, and we need to just wait on the Lord.
"1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah." (Portions of Psalm 62)
6. How Long Will The Children Suffer?
I am seeing more and more reports of missing children online and it totally breaks my heart. There is a passage in the New Testament where a man brought his son to the disciples to have them cast out the evil spirit that was in him, and they could not. Jesus asked the people, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me." "And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child." The evil spirit had been in the son since he was a child. We need to pray over our children! We must do all we can to protect them. Satan has no mercy on the children, and many people today don't have any mercy or compassion for the children. How long will the children suffer? I believe that judgment will be severe on those who cause the children to suffer. Jesus said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6) Pray for the children!
"17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." (Mark 9:17-29)
7. How Long Until We Humble Ourselves Before God?
God spoke to Moses on the backside of the desert by getting his attention with a burning bush. God told Moses to go and lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt. When we do what God tells us to do, that does not always mean that it will be an easy task. Look at what God told Moses. "And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go." (Exodus 3:19-20) God turned the water into blood, and plagued the land with frogs, lice, and then flies. He killed their animals with sickness and destroyed their crops with hail and fire. "And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me." (Exodus 10:3) They warned him that God would send locusts that would cover the land and eat up all that had not been destroyed in the storm. Pharaoh's servants saw the destruction on Egypt and also asked the king how long he would continue to keep fighting against the God of Israel. "And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?" (Exodus 10:7) We are going through some hard times in this country and it may be part of God's judgment on America for the sin of the land. How long will it take for us to humble ourselves before God, and turn back to Him? We have God's Word that promises, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (II Chronicles 7:14) The first step in that verse is "humble themselves". Yes, we are praying, and we are seeking God to heal our land, but have we humbled ourselves before Him?
8. The Last How Long
We have asked several "How long?" questions from the Bible this week, and today we turn to the last one in the scriptures to end our series. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:9-10) Since the very first murder, many people have suffered and lost their lives because of their stand for Christ, and the day of judgment is coming. "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." (Matthew 23:35) The Prophet Daniel saw a vision of the great judgment. "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." (Daniel 7:10) John recorded what he saw in Revelation 20:11-13, and he also said "the books were opened". Is your name written in the book of life? We don't know how long it will be before the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords will judge all the earth, but we know that day is coming. Are you ready?
"11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."
