Monday, May 01, 2006

When God Says Wait

I did a Bible search. The word "wait" or a form of it is mentioned 139 times in the Bible. Patient or a form of that word is used 27 times. This is probably not an exhaustive search, for there are other words that are similar to "wait" and "patient" that I could have looked up.

As I scanned the verses and how the word "wait" was used I thought it very fascinating that the majority of the time the verses, especially through Psalms, say, "Wait on the Lord" or "Wait for the Lord." Does this literally mean to wait for God, tapping my foot like GOD is behind the schedule? I don't think so. It is more likely that I get impatient and try to push God along with the timing that I think is best. He is teaching me, painfully at some times, that:

"My thoughts are not your thoughts
neither are your ways my ways,
declares the Lord.
For as the heaves are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9

God's timing in this life is far different from my human one. Since He is outside of time and sees everything as the present He is never late. I am learning that it takes an incredible amount of intentionality to wait for the Lord. Just wait. No worrying. No thoughts that question "when." Wait.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong,
and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!"
Psalm 24:15

For me, though, I need practical, applicable steps towards a disciplined life. I ask God, "How?" How am I supposed to live this way, patiently, trusting and carefree? What do I do when I start to worry about the future? The answer, unfortunately, seems harder than the original problem! God always seems to come to me, look me straight in the face (try imagining it sometime!) and say:

"Jaclyn, whenever you worry, whenever you get impatient, you are not looking at Me. When you ask Me 'When?' your eyes are wandering, your heart is not steadfast and you are desiring My good gifts above Me. I will tell you the story you want to hear soon."

"Oh, God, what is soon to You?" I plead.

"Dear child, I call all times soon," comes His gentle reply, "Just look at Me. Keep your eyes on Me and not on the clock. Focus all your love, energy, time and hopes on Me, not the calendar. Step into My world, that runs outside of time and be free of the burdens that time places on your shoulders. Look at Me and wait."

Oh, the joy that is found when I step outside of the clock and the calendar into the freedom of timelessness! What peace is felt when God commands, "Wait like I wait, Jaclyn! I have all times under control anyway, be free!"

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for being a blessing. I'll be excited to hear more about how God seems to be teaching you the same lessons in which He's instructing me. Funny how that works sometimes :)

Anonymous said...

Waiting can be so hard sometimes. There is something about not being able to set a time and date to something that makes us feel our human limitations. And, of course, that's the way He wants it to be! =)

I love the verse in Ps. 27 that commands us to be of good courage and wait on the Lord...first because of His recognition that waiting is a thing requiring courage. And secondly because that word "wait" in that verse carries the idea of expectancy along with it. Not a dull and hopeless waiting, but an alive and hopeful waiting...because we have an alive and trustworthy Lord! =) I am so glad!