Waiting in the 21st Century
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! (NIV)
Are you a parent? If not, you most likely know someone who is. I remember the first time I sat in the doctor’s office and heard the words “You’re pregnant.” I was overjoyed. My husband and I had wanted to start a family, so this was thrilling news. And then the waiting began. Nine long months of waiting and waiting for our little boy to arrive. This process gave a whole new meaning to the word impatient. I wanted to have my baby in my arms immediately. I didn’t want to have to wait. Some people referred to my condition as “expecting” and I was beginning to understand why.
Parents who go through the process of adoption sometimes end up waiting twice as long, or even longer, to receive their child. Whether you give birth or adopt, you have to go through a season of waiting and preparation.
We had no idea what we would have to do to prepare for our child’s arrival. There were classes to take, doctor visits, a room to paint, furniture to buy, and the mental adjustment to the fact life as we knew it would change tremendously in a few months.
says
“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (NIV).
The word wait is qavah in the original language and it means “to wait, look for, hope, expect.” There is expectation in this wait.
Throughout scripture, the Lord called many people to wait before receiving what He promised them. Abraham waited many years to see the birth of Isaac ( - ). Jacob waited 14 years to have his wife, Rachel ( ). The people of Israel waited years before receiving their freedom from Egypt ( - ). The disciples had to wait three days before seeing the resurrected Christ ( - ).
Our culture has evolved into one that expects instant gratification. We live in a world of drive-through dining, instant messaging, digital cameras with instant review, and now the cell phones are such that you can carry on a conversation with someone while surfing the internet on the phone at the same time. Let’s face it, we are the microwave generation; however, God is more like a crockpot. He doesn’t rush into anything. He knows time is sometimes the greatest teacher of all.
God knows through waiting we gain character, appreciation, insight and wisdom. says,
“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (NIV).
God understands the benefits of waiting. If we’re honest, once God releases us from the wait, we recognize whatever He has given us has been worth the wait.
What are you waiting for today? Instead of whining and asking God to “hurry up, already,” embrace the wait. Ask Him to reveal things you need to be learning in order to be best prepared when the wait is released. If what you are seeking is from the Father, I promise you it will be worth the wait.
Copyright @ 2011 by Susan Norris. Used by permission.
