Dear Congregation,
Our watchword for December is found in Ps 130,6:
My soul waits for the Lord, more than the watchman waits for the morning.
A watchman has an important, but unenviable task. The important part of his otherwise tedious task is to be alert, in case of an enemy or intruder. If the watchman raises the alarm timeously, the city is alerted and able to resist the enemy. If the watchman fails, the city may well perish under the onslaught of the enemy.
Often, the watchman has to battle with sleepiness during the long night, as well as with the elements, extreme heat and cold. In the day time he has to contend with the heat of the day and the glare of the sun. Rain and snow are no excuse for not reporting for duty. On top of all this, to keep the watchman motivated, any dereliction of duty (sleep, absence from post) was usually rewarded with execution, so that all would remember and perform their obligations keenly. No wonder that in modern times we have largely replaced the watchman with all sorts of electronic gadgets, which are able to function 24/7, night or day, hot or cold! But at the end of it all, there still has to be a watchman, even in our day and age.
So now imagine this: It is four in the morning, the watchman having started shift at six the previous evening. Ten long hours have gone by. Two more hours to go, till the next guard takes over duty. How this cold, hungry and tired watchman waits for the sun, to blazen the horizon, announcing the new day!
The Psalmist says: I yearn even more for the Lord my God, than this watchman ever will for the morning. He yearns to rest his weary body in a warm bed and to fill his hungry belly. I yearn to rest my soul in God and to feed myself on the Bread of Life.
Kind regards, Pastor Peter
