I don’t think of God as impatient. As the creator and sustainer of the universe, it seems the world moves on his timetable. So, what makes God impatient?

The Israelites yo-yoed between embracing foreign gods (they whored after the Baals), and serving the Lord. In each situation of whoring, the Lord left them to reap the consequences of their promiscuity.

But the Lord always embraced these same people when they returned broken and penitent.

After one cycle the Israelites prayed, We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now. They ditched their foreign gods and searched out the Lord with humbleness and sincerity. As a result, the Lord became impatient over the misery of Israel.

What makes God impatient? The suffering of his people.

What a powerful image to contrast the view of God as aloof or uncaring. God’s ways are his ways, and I won’t pretend to explain them, but I find real pleasure in knowing that God grows dissatisfied when those who follow him languish in terrible circumstances.

We stagger carrying emotional and physical pains for ourselves and those we love. That agony is real. As you endure, remember to pray along with the Israelites: We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.

Pray and stir the impatience of God.

Judges 10 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Davide Cantelli