Playing the Waiting Game

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.  NKJV

Are you frustrated by waiting?  At the grocery store, do you choose a line so slow that your ice cream melts?  Does your temper flare when you call the family for dinner and no one shows until the biscuits are cold?   So, had you thought to write down on your to-do list for the day, “Wait?”  Of course not!  But unexpected waiting happens to us all.  So, what are we supposed to do while we wait?  During my mom-taxi years, I kept a Bible in my car for those endless minutes waiting for my child to appear.  But usually, I chose instead to sit and stew over where my child was and why the hold up. (Just being real!)

Waiting has a way of getting us all bent out of shape.  But, seeking guidance from God’s Word reveals that waiting has been a challenge throughout the ages.   Biblical characters played the same waiting game many years ago, providing insights into the do’s and don’ts of waiting.

First, what can we learn from the Israelites?  After being freed from Egyptian slavery by the mighty hand of God, Exodus 24:7 has God’s people declaring, “We will do everything the Lord has said.  We will obey.”  But this inspiring declaration of faithfulness was short lived.  When Moses ascended Mt. Sinai to receive the ten commandments and was absent forty days, the Israelites’ focus on God disappeared.  The wait allowed fear and doubt to invade.  Taking matters into their own hands, they made an idol.  Their true worship turned into self-dictated worship, driven by their own desires.  How easy it was during the wait for fear to weaken their hearts and cause them to lose focus on God.

Gratefully we see a faithful example of waiting with Noah.  Experts say Noah waited one hundred twenty years from the time he was informed a flood was coming until the time the flood actually happened. 120 YEARS!   So, what did Noah do while waiting on God to send the flood?  He kept on hammering.  He kept on sawing.  He kept on pitching with tar.  He kept on preaching.  Noah remained focused and faithful to God during the long wait.  Noah’s wait could not have been an easy one, but nevertheless, Noah’s faithful waiting for God’s plan to be revealed led to his salvation.

Sisters, we have the same wait-dilemma today.  We are creatures of instant gratification so God’s timing frustrates us.  However, God often calls us to wait for His perfect plan to be revealed.  While we wait, we can, like the Israelites, be tempted to question the very presence and faithfulness of God in our lives, opening the door for fear and leading us to strike out on our own path.  Or we can, like Noah, remain faithful to God through the wait, unaware of how or when His path may be revealed, but trusting His plan over our own.  And, as our theme verse shows, God will always fuel us for the wait.

Using the strength God provides, as we prayerfully wait for healing, we can continue loving and witnessing to others.  As we wait for that perfect job to open up, we can continue working diligently in our current position.  As we wait for answers to our most secret prayer, we can continue to thank God for the prayers we see answered daily.   As we wait for that special someone to come into our life, we can continue living the pure life Jesus called us to live.  Yes, we have the same choices as the Israelites and Noah.  Sisters, may we choose well.

Father God, may we remain faithful to You through the wait.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane