How Long?
One of the grand beauties of the psalms is that they are realistic. The most common type of psalm is the lament. And right now, for so many, this is a time of lament…at least to a degree. I feel that. How long? How long will this go on? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?…(Ps. 13:1b-2b).
I may not be at that point of feeling sorrow in my heart all the day, but I do ask - how long will I not be able to hug or touch my family? How long will I have to live in the uncertainty of whether I had/have this virus or not? The not knowing is hard…and maybe the Lord is stripping something from me…my need to have to know…my need to feel in control (even though I know very well I’m not).
Things have been stripped away from all of us. What we have been used to is gone, and the uncertainty of when things might return is troubling. Will the economy rebound? What will the death toll from this virus be? Will my friends of family be part of that number?
For me, it makes me long not just for the end of this time, but for the day when all this will be forgotten. When all the sad things will become untrue. The day every tear is wiped from our eyes. The day when I will see my Savior face to face. We can hope in that and let that vision guide our days. Being heavenly minded does not stop us from being earthly good - it actually helps us, because it grounds us in what is good and true and beautiful.
There is a song by Bifrost Arts that captures some of this. I was playing it yesterday on guitar and found it therapeutic.
How long? Will You turn Your face away?
How long? Do You hear us when we pray?
On and on, still we walk this pilgrim way - How long?
How long 'til Your children find their rest?
How long 'til You draw them to Your breast?
We go on holding to Your promises - How long?
'Til You wipe away the tears from ev'ry eye
'Til we see our home descending from the sky
Do we wait in vain?
Jesus, give us hope again!
How long 'til Your word will still the storm?
How long 'til You bare Your mighty arm?
How we groan 'til You snatch us from the thorns - How long?
How long? Sweet the dawn that ends the race.
How long? Weak our hearts but strong our legs.
Looking on - great that cloud of witnesses! How long?
Then hear the last two verses of Psalm 13: But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.