The theology of waiting
Waiting is something that fills our lives. Sometimes I feel, especially lately, like I'm in that terrible place Dr. Seuss calls the "waiting place...for people just waiting." But even though waiting is an old friend I still have problems getting along with him.
Of course most are aware that the most recent wait for us is the whole adoption "thing". I say "thing" because sometimes I'm not sure what else to call it. There have been so many turns and twists in the process that it no longer appears to resemble a "process". But I guess it's sort of like the whole notion of order within chaos. Even with all of the circles we somehow continue to move toward the goal (I hope).
Anyway, I'm not really prepared to give you a full theology of waiting. Sorry if I misled you. But I did want to challenge us to think about how we wait and consider where God fits into it all. It seems that waiting has been going on for a long time. I've been reading through Deuteronomy and man did the Hebrews have to wait! Of course they waited in Egypt (although history is in a different book), they waited during the exodus (think how they must have been thinking "are we there yet?"), they waited 40 years as they wandered, they waited for instruction on going to war after the long 40 year wait....waited, waited, waited. And that's just a minuscule part of the big picture.
Fast forward to today and you blaze past historical record after record of people having to wait. And of course we come to think about what they were waiting for and if they ended up with whatever it was they were waiting for in the first place. And it's my opinion that God is in the very center of all of this. Of course that opinion brings with it all manner of questions...like "why does He make us wait?", "why don't we get what we're waiting for sometimes?", and others.
If I tried to answer all of those questions (my own questions) here...well, let's just say I'd probably end up with just one reader (have I mentioned my mom reads my blog?). :-) Instead of answering I'll just challenge us to be thinking about this and trying to find the answers for ourselves in God's Word. I think they're there. And I believe that boiling it all down we can see how God so deeply desires our utter, pure faith in Him and in Him alone. Sometimes it's in the midst of "the wait" that that faith is perfected...when we stop trying to make "it" happen using our own creative drive, abilities, and strength. It's then that we are able to turn 100% to Him...full dependence and submission.
My patience is growing steadily through all of this waiting and when I submit to Him I actually feel so much more stable and empowered. Of course there are times that I "run ahead" on my own...I end up freaked out by the giants in the land and generally tuck tail and run. I know that waiting is not going away. But I pray for all of us that we are able to learn how to endure it...to grow through it...seeing how God is transforming us in the process.
My mind feels a little scattered this morning...so hope this makes sense!
Of course most are aware that the most recent wait for us is the whole adoption "thing". I say "thing" because sometimes I'm not sure what else to call it. There have been so many turns and twists in the process that it no longer appears to resemble a "process". But I guess it's sort of like the whole notion of order within chaos. Even with all of the circles we somehow continue to move toward the goal (I hope).
Anyway, I'm not really prepared to give you a full theology of waiting. Sorry if I misled you. But I did want to challenge us to think about how we wait and consider where God fits into it all. It seems that waiting has been going on for a long time. I've been reading through Deuteronomy and man did the Hebrews have to wait! Of course they waited in Egypt (although history is in a different book), they waited during the exodus (think how they must have been thinking "are we there yet?"), they waited 40 years as they wandered, they waited for instruction on going to war after the long 40 year wait....waited, waited, waited. And that's just a minuscule part of the big picture.
Fast forward to today and you blaze past historical record after record of people having to wait. And of course we come to think about what they were waiting for and if they ended up with whatever it was they were waiting for in the first place. And it's my opinion that God is in the very center of all of this. Of course that opinion brings with it all manner of questions...like "why does He make us wait?", "why don't we get what we're waiting for sometimes?", and others.
If I tried to answer all of those questions (my own questions) here...well, let's just say I'd probably end up with just one reader (have I mentioned my mom reads my blog?). :-) Instead of answering I'll just challenge us to be thinking about this and trying to find the answers for ourselves in God's Word. I think they're there. And I believe that boiling it all down we can see how God so deeply desires our utter, pure faith in Him and in Him alone. Sometimes it's in the midst of "the wait" that that faith is perfected...when we stop trying to make "it" happen using our own creative drive, abilities, and strength. It's then that we are able to turn 100% to Him...full dependence and submission.
My patience is growing steadily through all of this waiting and when I submit to Him I actually feel so much more stable and empowered. Of course there are times that I "run ahead" on my own...I end up freaked out by the giants in the land and generally tuck tail and run. I know that waiting is not going away. But I pray for all of us that we are able to learn how to endure it...to grow through it...seeing how God is transforming us in the process.
My mind feels a little scattered this morning...so hope this makes sense!
posted by Michael Shattuck at
4:54 AM
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