TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67:6-7
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The Israelites are to count seven weeks (hence the name Festival of Weeks) from the end of the Passover festival to the start of the wheat harvest (Deuteronomy 16:9). Those seven weeks involve a rhythm of waiting and trusting. Israel’s landscape doesn’t boast significant rivers and lakes. The people are entirely dependent on rain to make crops grow. A healthy harvest means food for the coming year. Drought, winds or diseased crops mean starvation. Worry, fear and what if can fill these weeks of waiting.
The people struggle to trust God in the waiting and are prone to turn to other gods or means of control. God designs this feast to turn their hearts to trust him in the waiting. Scholars tell us that to keep their hearts focused on God, the Israelites recited Psalm 67 as a prayer of trust. “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us…The land yields its harvest; God our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him” (Psalm 67:1,6-7).
We can often struggle to trust God in our waiting too. We may be dependent on the weather for our work to go well. We may rely on a healthy economy for great sales. Or we could wait months or years for a positive pregnancy test. Maybe we’ve had numerous job interviews but no offers. We could be amidst extensive health treatments and waiting to see if they work. Perhaps we are waiting for good friends and a place we feel we belong. Wherever we are waiting—God sees us. He invites us to draw close to him and he will shape our hearts to trust him.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Spend time thinking about where you are in a season of waiting and how you respond in that area. Write what you are waiting for and invite God to help you grow in trusting and turning to him. “God, I’m waiting for _______________, and it’s a challenging season. Help me trust you in this and remember that you see me and love me in the waiting.
2022 BIBLE MEMORY PRACTICE
Develop spiritual roots and tap in the power of God’s word by memorizing monthly a Bible verse! View previous verses at beyondtheweekend.org/biblememorypractice.
ROMANS 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
