From Pastor Pat Kriss: Waiting for God

(Posted September 16, 2017)

There’s a contemporary Gospel song by Monica Cole Pollard that touches so well on the things we’re feeling today in a chaotic, seemingly apocalyptic world. It addresses our searching for God in the midst of the chaos, our wondering when all those prayers will be answered. And our response must be – Hallelujah anyway. The song goes like this:

So much is going on,
What's takin’ God so long.
Your back is up against the wall…
You got to trust him,
Be patient,
He's working behind the scenes.
 
Praise him till your blessings come down
Praise him till your situation turns around
You gotta lift up your voice and say: hallelujah anyway! Hallelujah anyway.
Praise him till your blessings come down
Praise him till your situation turns around
You gotta to lift up your voice and say: hallelujah anyway! Hallelujah anyway….
 
Waiting for God to get back to us when everything is falling apart is consummately difficult for us 21st century pilgrims. We are people who expect everything instantaneously, from our media to our frozen vegetables. But so often we are dealing with a slow cooker God who doesn’t provide microwave answers. We want to know NOW that God is in the corner of our storm-tossed boat, not weeks from now. But believing and listening for the divine answer requires the faith of a hallelujah while the flood waters slowly recede. This Jazz Sunday we will be visiting the qualities of mercy, forgiveness and- yes- practicing patience, even though God is the one we’re waiting for. 
Come join us for joy and praise! --- Pastor Pat Kriss