“Sorry that I am late. I’ve been trying to get here for twenty-one days, but I was held up on another job.”

We often hear someone talking about how frustrated they got while waiting on a repairman, or someone who promised to be there at a certain time, but who didn’t show up. Would it surprise you to know that the apology above is coming from an angel? The story is found in Daniel 10:12-14

There is much more to the text, but there are also some good thoughts about waiting patiently on the Lord.

The first is to know that our prayers are immediately in the presence of God. The angel told Daniel that God heard his prayer the first day that he sent it. “Now I have come” twenty-one days later. It is obvious that Daniel never gave up on prayer.

The second thing to remember is that there are often heavenly powers above, and saints below, who are involved in the answering of our prayers. We should give God thanks every day for the saints and angels who have ministered to us; whom God has sent because we prayed.

Finally, we are reminded of the importance of patience. In prayer we learn to wait as a farmer who sows seed and waits for the harvest. God will work all things out for the good in his time. He can be trusted.

“Teach me Lord to wait down on my knees,
Till in Your own good time You answer my pleas.
Teach me not to rely on what others do,
But to wait in prayer for an answer from You.”