Some musings

‘In just a little while’ – Psalm 37:10

I love the honesty of the psalms, I love the way they reflect the reality of how we sometimes feel, the reality of what we sometimes see going on around us, especially when what we feel and see is not what we want to feel and see. Sometimes the wicked do prosper, sometimes the righteous are oppressed. Sometimes our sorrow is intense, sometimes the wickedness of our own hearts can not be denied.

But we are assured that the current unsatisfactory state of affairs is only temporary. And not only is it temporary, the pain and sadness will be short lived for, ‘in just a little while’ [Psalm 37:10], order will be restored – the wicked will be no more, the meek will inherit the land, our tears will be wiped away and death shall be no more. [Revelation 21:4]

In just a little while the former things will pass away.

But there will be those who might understandably say that they have already suffered for a long time. Their pain has not been ‘light and momentary’, rather it has been intense and prolonged. How then can the psalmist speak of all being well in just a little while, when some have had to endure hardship for decades.

The answer comes when we step back and consider the future and recognise that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. [Romans 8:18] Furthermore that glory will last for all eternity. [2 Corinthians 4:17]. And just as our future glory is immeasurably greater than our current suffering and our future joy immeasurably greater than our current sadness, so too is eternity immeasurably longer than the time we now spend in this vale of tears.

So yes, weeping may tarry for the night time, and though for some the night has already been long and the day may still seem a long way off, even so joy will come with the morning. [Psalm 30:5].

In just a little while, the sun will rise.

‘So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’ [2 Corinthians 4:16-18]

Jesus himself says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ [Revelation 22:20] and when he returns we will see what currently we can not. And whether that be in our life time, not for another thousand years, or so far into the future that we can hardly imagine such a length of time, what we will see will be infinitely worth our ‘momentary’ wait. For the ‘little while’ we have waited will not be worth comparing with the time we have to enjoy being home at last in the presence of loving Heavenly Father.

In just a little while Jesus will come and all will be well.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

---

Related blogs:

To read, ‘Weeping with those who weep’, click here

To read “Suffering- A Personal View”, click here.

To read ‘T.S.Eliot, Jesus and the Paradox of the Christian Life’, click here

To read “Why do bad things happen to good people – a tentative suggestion”, click here

To read “Luther and the global pandemic – on becoming a theologian of the cross”, click here

To read “Waiting patiently for the Lord”, click here

To read “Hope comes from believing the promises of God”, click here

To read, ‘But this I know’, click here

To read, ‘Real Love?’, click here

To read ‘Real Power’, click here