How Are You Waiting?

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 

 

Let me ask you a rather personal question: How good are you at waiting patiently?  Yeah, I'm not good at that either, but I'm learning. I can only speak for me, I am extremely impatient and become frustrated having to wait.  And if you really want to know extended waiting, stand in line at Disney or stand in line at the checkout with 42 registers but only 4 are open or go to the pharmacy to simply pick up your meds and the ONE person in front of you wants to have a stroll down memory lane with the pharmacist. Waiting is NOT easy, but let me give you something to ponder: "Exceptional work is preceded by extended waiting."

 

Think about this, God chose to keep Moses waiting until Moses reached 80 years old before revealing His mission for Moses' life.  Did you catch that? EIGHTY YEARS!!!  I cannot even begin to comprehend waiting that long!

 

What about that little excursion into the Wilderness where Moses led the Israelites to the Land God had promised them?  That little jaunt took 40 years!!  

 

Even David, the beloved of God, had to wait 13 years AFTER he had been anointed as King of Israel before he could actually become the king.  In the meantime, he was chased by King Saul through the desert because Saul was trying to kill David in order to keep him from becoming King of Israel.  David ruled Israel for the best 40 years they had known up to that point.

 

I knew at age 7 that God had called me into ministry.  I waited and waited and waited.  Then I gave up waiting and went my own way for YEARS.  Finally, God got through to me that I was supposed to be waiting for Him to bring my calling to pass.  From the age of 7 until I was ordained at the ripe age of 42 God was working in my life and I didn't even realize it.  Every experience, every rebellion, every heartache, every laugh, every chuckle, every deep darkness, God was using them all to mold me and shape me to be able to walk with people through their lives.  And God made me wait 35 years to be ordained, another year to finish seminary, and another 2 years until He opened the door at the Sheriff's Department.

 

God is the God of patience.  I am glad for that because means He is more than patient with me.  Think about that.