Worth the Wait

-


Read 2 Peter 3:8-9

The aroma from the kitchen tantalizes your senses and makes your stomach begin to growl. You look at your watch, wondering how soon you’ll be able to taste whatever it is that is baking in the oven. Finally, you hear the sound of the timer going off, signaling that the waiting is over.
Well, perhaps it would be best if you wait for it to cool a bit. As the clock inches forward, you gather the necessary utensils so that you can dig in as soon as it is time.
And, ooooh, that first bite. Fresh, warm, sweet, and oh so satisfying. It was definitely worth the wait.
When God asks us to wait for Him, we have the assurance that it will be worth the wait as well. With God, there is always purpose in the waiting. The waiting is still very hard, but the end result will be worth it.
Hebrews 10:36 says that we need endurance, so that after we have done God’s will, we may receive what was promised. I see three very important points in this verse:
1.       Waiting is to be expected, and we may have to wait a long time.
2.       God has a job for us to do in the meantime.
3.       God’s promises can be counted on.

When you can’t stand the waiting, choose to trust the One who asks you to wait. He is trustworthy.

Imagine what grand purposes God might have in making you wait.
How does thinking about God’s purposes change your perspective on the wait?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meager Bread and Water

-
Image
  Read Isaiah 30:20-22 What truth is contained in these verses!! When we seek the Lord during hard times, things will become clearer and powerful things happen. Let's look at the three basic lessons that have become clear to me as I've studied this passage. First, God provides what we need – “meager bread and water.” Although we may be learning to do without some things, we still have a God who will meet our needs and help us become aware of our greediness for more than that. He has promised that when we first seek Him, He will provide for the daily stuff we tend to worry about (Matthew 6:33). Second, our Teacher will not be hidden and He will not be silent. Adversity helps us to grow and to learn about what God wants from us. As we stumble through the chaos, we will begin to see God in the midst of it, and God’s voice will become clearer.   He will lead us in His ways. Finally, when we are struggling, our lives get sifted. As the shaking continues, we begin to recogni...
Read more

New Every Morning

-
Image
  Read Lamentations 3:19-26 More toys than floor in the living room. Crayon art on the newly painted wall. Diapers in the bin that will curl your nose hair. Tears (some of them yours). Whining. A plate of spaghetti tossed to the floor to punctuate the sentence, "I want hot dogs!" And then...nap time. Blessed, peaceful, sanity-saving naptime. What is it about a sleeping child that melts our frustrations and anger into ooey-gooey adoration? Pure love. The child who was on the brink of a thousand time outs is suddenly the cutest thing in the world and brings a different kind of tear to our eyes, along with a softness in our hearts. When they wake up, the day is fresh and new, and the past fades away so we can begin again. God is a parent too, and He has been there. Daily He watches us quarrel, disobey, throw tantrums, and leave messes in our wake. However, as the author of Lamentations graciously reminds us, "His mercies are new every morning."  Like the peaceful sight...
Read more

Committed to Prayer

-
Image
Read Daniel 10 to get the full story, but today we will focus on just the first few verses. As you read, take note of how Daniel prepared himself to hear from God, and also notice the important messages given to him when the information was revealed. The book of Daniel is packed full of wonderful accounts of God’s power manifest in Daniel’s life – the fiery furnace, the lion’s den, the handwriting on the wall. There’s plenty there to study and learn. This time I want to focus on a lesser known account in chapter 10, which gives us a glimpse into the spiritual realm. The first thing I noticed is how committed Daniel is to his prayer. In verses 2 and 3 we read about his sacrificial approach and focus on seeking God.   He describes himself as “mourning.” The definition of the original word here indicates lamenting, or walking with head downcast.  When we find ourselves in this condition, we need to follow Daniel’s example and go directly to seeking God. And his isn’t a...
Read more