Jesus knows what it is like when waiting hurts. In the wilderness, tested by the devil, he teaches us how the Scriptures become our steadfast companions along the way.

Isaiah 40 shifts from God’s righteous judgment to his great comfort on the way. The incomparable God will give new strength to those who wait on him.

For Abraham and Sarah, their promised son seemed impossible, and the wait unthinkable. In times like those, we ask, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

Our limited perspective makes it hard to trust in God’s timing while we wait. Peter offers a glimpse of God’s perspective, in which what we may see as slowness is his perfect mercy and patience at work.

In the Psalms, we find a refreshing honesty about the rocky places of life. Though the wait may be long and the pain real, we continue to seek God in trust, for he will deal bountifully with us.

If we could set our alarm clocks for the return of Jesus, he’d find us wide awake and dressed to the nines. Instead, he urges his disciples toward a round-the-clock readiness.

God compares the prophet Ezekiel's calling to a watchman warning of danger. In light of Christ, this is a stirring image of our responsibility to keep watch and bear witness to the truth of the Gospel.

The opening chapters of Revelation present a sobering vision of God’s perspective on the failures of the early churches. The words to the church in Sardis remind us that we can look awake on the outside and inwardly have fallen asleep.

The Thessalonians were anxious about the second coming of Christ. When Paul addresses their fears, he does not provide them with a timeline, but an exhortation toward an awake, watchful, and hopeful life.

As dark clouds can obscure the sun’s rays, the storms of life can interfere with our awareness of God’s work and presence in our lives. The Psalmist leads us to keep watching and waiting on the Lord, whatever the weather.

God had called Abram (later Abraham) to go to a new land with the promise of blessing. When land disputes arose, Abram had every right to make demands, but he humbly gave his nephew Lot “first dibs.” By laying down his rights, Abram trusted that God always makes good on his promises.

Humbling yourself for the sake of love is not easy, but we’re not alone. To encourage the church in Philippi, Paul recites the “Christ Hymn,” believed to be one of the earliest Christian anthems.

Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon, wielded more power and prestige than any of us could fathom. Yet by refusing to humble himself before God, Nebuchadnezzar made one thing sure: God would humble him.

The Psalmist leads us in marveling at God. When we let the amazement of all God has done and the fact that he would keep us in mind really sink in, we’re released from self-importance to the freedom of humility in Christ. 

Following Jesus didn’t instantly cure the Apostles James and John and their mother of the impulse to seem more important. Many of us still live to elevate our status above others, but Jesus flips our aspirations. Among God’s people, the only way up is down.

Our greatest joy is found in loving God and following his commandments. However, John reminds us that we are not the main character. The love that defines our lives is not our own, but is found in Christ laying down his life for us. This is the love that teaches us to lay down our lives in obedience.

In the midst of teaching the Corinthians about a range of powerful spiritual gifts, Paul pauses to teach that flashy gifts that get a lot of attention don’t actually hold a candle to real love that flows from knowing Jesus.

As we steep in God’s love, we see that it crosses boundaries and weathers storms. Jesus challenges a lawyer with this truth in one of his most memorable parables, the Good Samaritan.

Human emotions of love or hate are fleeting. They can arise one moment and be gone the next. Psalm 136 praises the Lord for what we can count on forever: his steadfast love woven through all creation.

In this passage, God’s chosen people are reminded that they were not chosen for what they bring to the table, but because of God’s love. It is truly this first-moving love of God that transforms us into people who obey his words and reflect his love.