TWILY Ministries | Love Notes | March 2008
Strength While We’re Waiting
Let’s face it, for some people, waiting can be
tough! One reason for this is that, while they are waiting for “that thing” to
come to pass, they stop working; they begin to “stare at the face of the clock” - and we know how that makes
time “stand still”. I’ve
been there, too, but overtime, I have learned that “waiting” – for anything – is much
easier when I “stare
at the face of the Lord”.
God, being eternal, does not see or deal
with time as we do. See, “time”
is a handy little device He has given us humans, to help us get along in the
world. He sees everything as “right now”, and knowing the end from the
beginning, He also knows the perfect time to bring something to pass in each of
our lives. Therefore, when it comes to things that “He” has promised us, we
don’t have to “freeze” in place, rendering ourselves “unproductive”. We
can go about “business as usual”, if you will. When I really began to grasp
that, something wonderful took place; I learned to be totally content in Him.
Oh, sure, I will welcome any “other blessings” He
decides to send my way, but I understand that those “other blessings” can only
serve to enhance or complement my life. Not having them, however,
will never diminish the joy I have
found in Him! Thank You Jesus!
Some may ask, “How in the world can anyone be happy or content, when they have not yet
received what has been promised?”
Well, we have to respond, “The same way
those in the book of Hebrews were able to.” Remember them? Many of them died not yet having in hand what was
promised, but they were still believing! How in the world did they do
it? They saw it way off in the distance, and accepted the fact that they
were foreigners in this world. They knew that their true home was elsewhere,
and they trusted the Living God to keep His Word. (par. Heb. 11). Saints, God desires that same level of loving trust from us today.
Certainly, if God left us
“unattended”, as we waited on Him – waiting would be far more difficult. But,
He doesn’t, does He? No, He’s a great Shepherd, who faithfully tends to the
needs of His sheep. Just when we think we are too weak to hold on for another
moment, suddenly, He sends something to sustain us; something to give us strength
while we’re waiting. Whether waiting to be healed, waiting to go to college, waiting
to graduate, waiting to be married, or
even something as “insignificant” as waiting to be seated in a “crowded restaurant”, “if” God has willed it for our lives, He will sustain us
through it all.
I couldn’t help but
smiling, as I typed “waiting to be seated in a “crowded restaurant”,
reflecting on a recent experience I shared with some of the praise team
members. It serves as a great natural example on this whole point of waiting. Here’s what happened.
One
evening, after rehearsal, a few of us decided to have dinner together, in
celebration of our “sister” Tina’s birthday. (By the way, it turns out
that we share the same birthday – I knew she was “super-special”). We got to the extremely crowded restaurant,
and were told that we had a “45 minute wait.” Now, I have to let you know that
I am “already hungry” when I get to rehearsal; usually, I don’t eat before
rehearsals. Therefore, 45 minutes was way too long!
For a moment, we thought about going to a different restaurant, but instead, we took
our “standing place” and waited with
everyone else. Effortlessly, we talked-and-talked, laughed, and even managed to
go over some of the songs that we would “potentially” be singing the next
morning. We were having a great time, until something distracted us. I don’t
remember exactly what. While we were distracted, we noticed that “45 minutes” had come and gone and that
had been at least 10 minutes earlier! We had been so preoccupied “having a good
time”, until we had not even noticed that our time had come and gone - and then
some! Still, I wondered had we missed the “buzzing device” going off, or missed
our party’s name being called. We had not, but since so much time had passed –
unbeknownst to us - we brought it to the host’s attention. He assured us that “it wouldn’t be much
longer”
– “About ten more minutes”, he said.
With that assurance, we continued our fellowship, not “breaking” again, until something else
interrupted us. This time it was one of the employees. I thought, “Surely, she must be
coming to seat us”, but she wasn’t. However, she was
coming to serve us hot refreshments,
being sensitive to the fact that we had been waiting a very long time. See,
by then, at least another 15 minutes had passed. Not only that, the original crowd had all been seated – just about. The host was now seating people who had
come in wayyyy after us. I said amongst ourselves, “Okay, the refreshments
were nice and all, but this has now reached the point of ridiculous! It’s time
to speak to the manager.” – God isn’t through with me yet (smile)! We all agreed, but just as I was
getting ready to ask for the manager, we were interrupted again. This time,
though, it was to say our table was ready.
In route to our table, we looked at our watches and noted that we had
been waiting for nearly two hours!
The funny thing is that, even though our wait had been long, it hadn’t been agonizing. Except for the moments when we were “interrupted”, we had not even
noticed the time. In the middle of dinner, Tina put it perfectly when she said,
“I was having such
a good time, it didn’t even seem like we had been waiting that long.”
It was true, and the same can be true – even
more – when we learn to wait on
the Lord. As we preoccupy ourselves with Him;
enjoying His company,
engrossing ourselves in His Word, praising His Holy Name, and sharing Him with others, the wait will become easier. That doesn’t mean that we won’t ever get
weary, but when we do, He will strengthen us with the joy
found only in His presence. (Ps. 16:11; Neh. 8:10). That doesn’t mean that we won’t ever become anxious, but
when we do, He will refresh us with a
“good word”, thereby making our hearts glad (Pro. 12:25)!
Such promises make it easier for me to wait on Him. How
about you? Are you waiting for the Lord to bring something to pass in “your” life, and feel like “time
is standing still?” If so, do what many others have learned to do, stop “staring at the clock”, and start “staring at His face”, and
before you know it, you too will hear Him say, “Joyful party of one, your table is ready!”
Sincerely,
Joyce
© Joyce Bailey March 2008
– Use by permission
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