What are you waiting for?

Last week the reading in 1 Timothy spoke of contentment.  Being content is a great thing, and I hope everyone has even the briefest moments of contentment.  But are we always waiting for something? 

Last year in seminary I took an ethics class called Christian discipleship in a consumer society.  We often talked about in the class how the advertising industry and just our culture as a whole society work against any feelings of contentment.  It tells us, what you have is not ok - you need the newest, best, more features - what you have is not enough.  We let ourselves see what's missing instead of what we have, and feel discontent as a result.

This week's Old Testament reading comes from the prophet Habakkuk, and I am leaning toward preaching it, over the Luke reading.  This section from Habakkuk keeps pulling me in because I think it's so relatable:

Habakkuk 1:1-4 The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw. ² O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? ³ Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. ⁴ So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous-- therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

 We are so used to this feeling of discontent, though this reading strikes at much deeper levels.  The lament to God, "how long?" is something that strikes a deep chord.  We may all want to finish that question a little differently (God, how long until . . . ) but we all feel it.  So what are you waiting for?  Are you comfortable waiting?  Is the Christian life a life of waiting or a life lived in the present?