PATIENCE PAYS

Friday: June 26, 2020

Reference text: 2 Kings 25:1-12

A quick scan of recent postings highlight a word that has made a number of appearances but has not been sufficiently explored. In light of today’s text emphasising patience, let’s have a more in-depth look at the word “SIEGE”. I had to make a necessary trip to the bank this afternoon and for a transaction that took no more than 90 seconds to complete, the 45 minute waiting time outside the banking hall was a bit of a bother. I was tempted to walk away but somehow, I found myself reading today’s text.

The dictionary definition summed up, to a large extent, what a siege is “a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling those inside to surrender.” In effect, gather your forces, approach your opponents, pitch your camp outside their walls and do NOTHING ELSE. We could therefore simply say ‘a siege is a waiting game’.

Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem for two whole years, waiting for the city to surrender. Whether it was to avoid any losses to his military or making a case to his military officials as to why a frontal assault was not necessary, the Chaldeans laid in wait patiently. After two years, the Judaens had had enough and with famine spreading, they decided to break through the siege consequently leading to the capture of the city and its king.

Beloved, let’s not become anxious in waiting because while waiting is always the hard, there are rewards received when the right opportunities arrive after the wait.

#sly