Those who wait

Dear friends,

I am sure you’ve seen the scripture:

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

And yet, have you been there?

Waiting?

Nobody likes it, I guess – at least nobody I know and let alone me myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining, GOD forbid. I know how MY FATHER hates murmuring. I am well aware that it is part of the process and I know even more that NOBODY accelerates ALMIGHTY GOD.

Haha, just imagine to tell HIM to hurry up – almost funny, as if the rain said to the earth: “Come here!”

That’s not how it works.

And we all know it is not easy… nor is it supposed to be, I guess.

It takes faith in these moments / situations.
When we don’t have anything to prove that we will be fine, that we will be the head and not the tale, that we will be above and not beneath, wait, when I say proof, I mean tangible, visible…

We do have something though:

GOD’s word.
OUR FATHER’s promise.
Is that not as good as visible, tangible proof with a signature and sealed?

I mean, who’s promise will it take so that we will believe that it shall come to pass?
Most of us do know people and have them in our lives, people who keep their word and people whom we trust and people we rely on.

Why not rely on OUR FATHER then, since HE will never leave or forsake us…?
(Whereas people sometimes do…?)

Isn’t that the meaning of waiting in the first place?

If we didn’t believe something would happen, we would hardly wait for it, now, would we?

Or would you or anyone you know stand at a bus stop or at a train station if they did NOT believe that the buses or trains would arrive, according to the schedule (or a few minutes later) and take them to the destination they had bought a ticket to?

So what are we waiting for?
Literally?
WHY do we even think that GOD will NOT come or not fulfill HIS promise?
Have we not seen it?
Have we not heard it?
Have we not studied how many times and for how many people HE was GOD and performed miracles, healings, fulfilled prohecies and kept HIS promises?

I came to see that it is not that we think HE won’t come or won’t keep HIS word that makes it so hard.

At least not for me and not for many people I know.
Many of us do have faith.
Many of us do know from experience that OUR FATHER will not let them/ us down and that HE WILL come and get us out of trouble, no matter what it is…

I mean most of us do believe HE is GOD and that JESUS is alive and we believe that HE rose from the dead and that HE lived more than 2000 years ago in Israel and died for our sins. In a way, we DO believe that HE will come and that HE loves us, yes, me, yes, you, yes all of us who believe, all of HIS children (and even those who don’t believe!).

I think what makes it so hard to wait for HIM is that we have no idea WHEN HE will come.
And that we have no control over HIS timing.
It is a joke in a way, but who hasn’t tried to speed HIM up or hasn’t tried to ask HIM to answer their prayers faster…?
And yet, we know that there is no way anyone will tell GOD when HE is ready to bless us and to help us.
Nobody.

And what makes it even harder and even more scary is that we know that time is not the same for HIM as it is for us.

Leading the Israelites through the desert for sooooooooo many years.
HE DID feed them and did lead them out of Egypt and into freedom and away from slavery, yes.
But many of them did not live long enough to see the promised land – not only because they sinned, but also because it took so long and they became too old to live long enough to arrive…

It is true.

In that case, HIS help came too late for some of the individuals.

I guess that’s the fear that always drives us – that we personally will not be considered, will not be receiving and enjoying the blessings… and yet, we already were and we already do.

That’s right.

We are children of THE MOST HIGH.
A CHOSEN GENERATION.
Regardless if we receive more of HIS blessings and regardless if HE will arrive on time to give us a great life, a fulfilled marriage, a meaningful career, good health, earthly riches – or not, HE HAS already given us the greatest gift: forgiveness of our sins, salvation and eternal life.

So to consider HIM late, to even wait for HIM is a totally awkward perspective and we might as well call ourselves ungrateful – IF we can see the big picture – like HE does, or like I assume HE does (because what do I know about HIS thoughts?) – HE cannot even be late, because HE was already here to bless us when we were born, when HE chose us.

Right?

Me, I am waiting for a new job and I do believe MY FATHER for one, one that will be better than the one before.

And I know that MY FATHER knows that I need a new job.

I love MY FATHER and I am grateful for HIM, for HIS love, for HIS guidance, for HIS care and for HIS providence.

I do get a bit weary sometimes when waiting – but at the same time, I am sorry about it, do realize that it is ungrateful and unfaithful, too, and I do know that there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to worry and I pray for my heart to be merry and for the ability to more and more rejoice, because I know that it is already done for me and that it is settled by MY FATHER.

Just as I know that HE will do for you, my friend, what you asked HIM!

And whenever I can, I will wait and do it in the state of faith, confidence, not worrying at all and considering the lillies – one of my favorite parables!

If you are waiting, my friend, for something you need from HIM, please have faith, do not worry and join me in considering the lillies:

Matthew 6: 25 – 30
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

I hope and pray that this will bless and inspire you. And that THE LORD will bless you abundantly in all areas of your life. That HE will keep you and shine HIS face upon you. And bring you PEACE. In JESUS’ name I pray. Amen.