He's In The Waiting
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” Ps. 27:14
I sat in the courtroom with a friend today asking God to give me alertness to what was going on in the spirit realm and to teach me His lessons. The day had finally arrived for her to go before the judge in a long drawn out case. After several years of trying to get before a judge, it was finally happening today. There she sat at the front table beside her attorney with all the players in place.
Deep breath. Sigh. Gratitude.
Ready! Set! Go! But suddenly there was a pause. The pause quickly turned to a delay that sat perched in the atmosphere.
“Not enough time to hear the case today. “ What? What?
Hope quickly turned to disappointment and all were dismissed with another date on the calendar.
Zoomed in on the pause, I waited to see what would happen. I believe God to be sovereign, so I knew the pause was from Him. It wasn’t the judge or the afternoon calendar, it was Sovereign God.
Oh, to really live in the moment grasping it all. When hope and celebration suddenly turns, increase our faith to know that you are in it all. Waiting is so hard for us in this ultra instant culture, especially when the wait affects those we love so dearly.
I remember two specific delays in the life of our Lord. Once when the disciples asked Him if he was going to the feast with them. His answer was, “No, my time has not yet come." (John 7:8-10) But just a short while after those words, He appeared at the feast. I am convinced it was because He waited on His Father’s voice and timing and He would only move when Father said to move. Of course He didn’t lie to his disciples, but embraced His Father’s time.
The second event that I recall was when Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother and His friend, Lazarus, was very sick. (John 11) “Please hurry and come. Now, Jesus.“ Jesus gave His word that He would be there, but then delayed three days. It appeared that His delay was far too late because Lazarus was already dead. There was no surprise to Jesus because He knew He moved on God’s timetable and nothing was bigger than His Father’s will, not even death. He felt no hurry to rush to the sick bed because He did not fear the grave.
A pause can turn to a delay and even a disappointing cancellation as it did for my friend today. But as believers in Jesus we come to know that delays are God’s opportunities for us to see His glory. He is doing something in the unseen. Down beneath the dark and the quiet, in the minutes, days, and months and even years that are flying by for us, God is at work. It feels like time is running out and death is looming, but God is always right on time.
He is in the waiting.
My friend’s peace and perspective astounded me. In the past delays she had seen God move and work accomplishing great things in her life and she knew He would do it again. She held to His sovereignty. God’s not ready. Something’s not in place. I wait and watch and grow in Him in the middle of the wait.
Is there a pause happening in your life? Has it turned to a delay? Does it feel like God is not even seeing or hearing you, much less working on your behalf? He’s in the waiting.
Be still and breath. Have hope and take courage. Wait expectantly when you see nothing happening. He is always at work in silence and darkness and nothingness.
Every disappointment holds promise.