Praying At The CrossroadsSample

The Prayer of Moses 

In Psalm 90 Moses wrote a prayer to God while suffering in the wilderness. The Israelites had sinned against the Creator God, making Him angry and bringing His wrath on themselves. Acknowledging the brevity of human life, Moses prayed that God would deliver His people from distress. His hope, however, wasn’t for salvation into a spiritual realm of bliss. In view of the biblical story line, he anticipated that God would deliver His people from the wilderness into a land of flourishing—a land that has now been expanded to include the entire re-created cosmos over which the Messiah will reign (see Ps. 2; Isa. 65–66; Dan. 7–8; Rev. 21–22).

As someone who hoped in God, Moses was a child of Abraham. In Galatians 3 Paul tells us that people who have faith in Christ are also sons and daughters of Abraham and heirs of the promises. Thus, because we have the same hope as Moses, let’s fix our eyes on the blessed Savior who will deliver us from the present world of sin and lead us into an eternal place of blessing. Until then we’re to persevere in our faith—enduring trials, difficulties, and suffering at the hands of the unrighteous—knowing that Jesus will return to deliver us  and renew His good creation. We long for this. We persevere for this. 

God saw Israel’s suffering, and He sees yours too. Whatever you’re going through, God sees your pain. He sees your trials. Night won’t last forever. Morning will come soon—and permanently. 

One struggle this side of heaven is the one that comes from extended suffering we feel God isn’t addressing. It’s one thing to know God sees our suffering; it’s another to believe He will do something about it. In those moments, like Moses, let’s fix our eyes on what’s to come, knowing that soon all will be as it should be. When Jesus returns, we’ll no longer hurt, no longer mourn, no longer suffer under oppression. Instead, His people will be blessed all of their days. This is the lasting state for which Isaiah longed when he wrote: 

Those who trust in the LORD

will renew their strength;

they will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not become weary,

they will walk and not faint. 

Isaiah 40:31 

Just hold on a bit longer. Your God will soon make all things right.