Waiting

Text:

Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you, for the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him – Isaiah 30:18

Thought:

2013 was a frustrating year as we tried to put our planned move into operation. First indications seemed promising; a warm welcome from our intended church and a cash buyer within a week of marketing our property. Then came delay after delay from our buyers until they finally disappeared in August. Starting all over again, we finally accepted an offer in October. Every indication pointed to a pre-Christmas move but as time progressed it became clear this would not materialise. The continual feeling of ‘hopes dashed’ with each update became physically and spiritually draining. Facilitating our buyers by moving to rented accommodation added to our stress as available properties came and went. Now at last the end is in sight. There will be a last minute scramble but we are confident it will all be done on time.

Waiting times can be ‘dangerous times’ as scripture reveals. Sarah gave up trying for a baby, encouraging Abraham to have one with Hagar – Genesis Ch 16. King Saul couldn’t wait any longer for Samuel to arrive, and lost the kingdom as a result – 1 Samuel Ch 13. Jesus taught a parable about the servant who acted very unprofessionally when his master’s return was delayed – Luke Ch 12. Also the prodigal son couldn’t wait for his father’s inheritance and blew it all on wild living – Luke Ch 15.

The text states there is a blessing in God’s waiting times. Delay does not necessarily mean denial, for Romans 8:28 declares, ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose’. For us it meant a wonderfully relaxing and refreshing last minute Christmas vacation, where we were also able to minister into a local church.

Even delays can be weaved into the good plans God has for us. We can only  see a part, but God sees the whole. Sometimes God has to wait for us to repent and return, like the prodigal, before he can pour out his blessing. The disciples had to wait 10 days for the promised Holy Spirit before they could effectively evangelise. When we read of what happened in the Book of Acts, how thankful we are that they obeyed Jesus’ command to ‘tarry’.

Living in a ‘have it now’ society, it’s a hard discipline to wait. Maybe you’d rather be married but are being pressurised into having sex now. Or being tempted to cut corners to gain that promotion you’re not quite ready for. Perhaps it’s simply trying to say, ‘No’ to your children when they angrily shout, ‘You don’t understand!’

Whatever pressures are mounting in your life, be prepared to do it God’s way, in God’s timing, for there’s a blessing only God can give when you do.

 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord – Lamentations 3:25-26