A feller gets good at waiting—at least he does, if he hopes to survive.”
–J.V. James (Old As Old Boots)
“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
–Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
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“Give me patience, and give it to me now!” Then we hear a little voice, “wait, wait, wait.” The waiting gets to us. For some reason, most of us do not like to wait, especially in our fast-paced world. But, that seems to be the way the Lord works. He’s never in a hurry, but we are. We seem caught up in the old military adage, “Hurry up and wait.” We get into the wrong line at the grocery–and wait. We drive into the wrong lane at McDonalds–and wait. We wait for our change to be counted out, a third time. We pump gas–and wait, it seems the pump is working oh, so, slowly. We go to our doctor’s appointment–and wait, and wait, and wait, and…
I think of Caleb and Joshua. They had to wait forty years because of stiff-necked, faint-hearted, and a lack-of-faith people. Forty years of wandering, and I might add without complaining, for waiting brings the whining and complaining and murmuring out of us. Forty years of manna and quail. Forty years of dust and thirst. But they took it all in stride as they walked waiting for the time when they would finally enter the Promised Land. Speaking of the Promised Land, Moses spent forty years in the wilderness, then another forty years leading the people in that same rugged land, and, get this, he never did get to go into the Promised Land. He led, waiting, hoping, but now he had to wait for the Messiah to appear to deliver from his waiting place of Sheol. Of course, our minds go to Abraham–given the “Promise”–then having to wait. The wait got to him, as it does to us much of the time, and he attempted to take shortcuts. Never a good idea, and look at what it got him (and continues on through today).
When we are forced to wait, discouragement can set in. Frustration can grip us causing us to gripe; hope may wane. If we are not careful we can wonder when the Lord will answer, and often that causes us to wander–wander off the narrow way to glory. The great man of faith, Francis de Sales, tells us, “In all our spiritual dryness and barrenness let us never lose courage but, waiting with patience for the return of consolation, earnestly pursue our course. Let us not omit any of our exercises of devotion, but if possible let us multiply our good works.” When we wait, get our devotion and resolve.
In other words, “keep on keeping on.” Rest when needed, but don’t settle. The journey is not over yet. The true mark of constancy and fidelity is to continue to serve the Lord even as we wait. (de Sales) Be a Caleb and Joshua. Be constant and loyal as you wait for the coming of the Lord, or for the answer to your prayers (and that prayer must be in line with God’s Word, and His will–if not the wait might even be longer). “Keep your Christian ideals alive in the human setting in which you find yourself.” (Edwin R. Chess)