While I Wait
I've been in a place of steady wait for a little while now. Over the course of the last few years, I've heard the Lord speak to me about a direction He will take my life. Others, who knew nothing of what I'd felt Him speak to me, have confirmed through their words to me, that they see the Lord moving me in that direction as well. I've dipped my toes into the waters of what's to come, and it's exhilarating. Those moments where the tides of change rushed over me, gave me a new sense of living. New passions ignited, opportunities given, and words of affirmation spoken over me in those moments gave me glimpses into what will be. Then, as quickly as the tides of change rushed in, the waters pulled back. Thus began the season of now, the season of wait.
It's not been easy. In fact, it's been quite frustrating at times, including now, if I'm being honest. I'm hungry for more. I thirst for fulfillment of what's been revealed. I'm ready to be used in this new way. And yet, He sits silent in this particular area, and so I wait.
There have been moments when I've doubted the Word that was spoken to me. Maybe I simply misunderstood Him, I've thought. Perhaps I enjoyed a moment and made it into more than what it was. I confessed this recently, and a friend reminded me that our Lord isn't a God of confusion, that He's spoken to me, others have confirmed what I believed He's said, without any knowledge of it beforehand. "Be ready," she said. "Your time is coming."
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When Abram was ninety years old, God appeared to and said to him, ‘I am God almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will make my covenant between you and me and you will greatly increase your numbers. Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.’
...Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child when she is ninety?" Genesis 17:1-6; 17
What God promised Abraham made no sense. The technicalities of how it would all come to pass seemed a promise deemed impossible. He and Sarah had no children together and were very old. Doubts swirled through Abraham's mind as he attempted to decipher this incomprehensible word he'd heard from the Lord. He quite literally fell on his face in laughter, at the promise that Sarah would bear a child this late in life. How in the world? And yet, I can't help but wonder if that laugh, fueled by doubt, also held trust. Trust fostered in knowing that this God who spoke of things to come was a faithful God who would one day bring to fruition that which Abraham could not begin to understand. Abraham knew. All sense of reason argued against this, but deep down, he knew. Sarah would bear child, and he would indeed become the father of many nations. The Lord has said so.
So, he and Sarah trusted the Lord and what He had told them. And they waited. It wasn't easy and I am sure at times they were quite frustrated. In their time of wait, at times they were patient. Patient, but not perfect. Other times when their patience waned, they surely tried to take matters into their own hands. But, not until the time set apart by the Lord had come, did Sarah conceive.
"Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him...
...Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, 'God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.'"
Genesis 21:1-2; 5-6
Seven words. "At the very time God has promised...".
Notice Sarah's response to God's faithfulness. Laughter. Laughter born from waiting, laughter born from trust. A heartfelt response to what she knew was true all along, God would do as He had promised. I can almost see her now, laughing at herself for ever doubting, laughing at how He has shown Himself magnificent once again, in His time. Laughter of adoration, laughter of fulfillment. Laughter that spread because of His faithfulness.
Tonight I'm encouraged by this real life Biblical encounter of seemingly impossible promises fulfilled. I've grown impatient. How easily my interpretation of what I heard from the Lord about His plan for me has been challenged. How quickly my confidence has been overshadowed by doubt and insecurity. Moments He intends me to spend in preparation for the time He has promised, have been squandered on less important things. More than I would care to confess, I've tried to take matters into my own hands. Perhaps, He's even delayed fulfillment of this promise to me as a result of my own moments of disobedience. I'm blessed in knowing that just as God's grace covered Abraham's disobedience in his time of wait, so it covers me. God protected Abraham from some pretty ugly stuff, and He's done the same for me.
May I learn from Abraham and Sarah. May I find the beauty in the wait, embracing what He has for me in this moment of preparation. May my patience return once again and may this heart, that is prone to wander, anchor only to Hope in these waters of change.
When the promise has been fulfilled, may this heart find it's laughter. Laughter born from waiting, laughter born from trust. Laughter of adoration, Laughter of fulfillment. May everyone who hears my laughter, laugh with me. Laughter of their own, born from trust in a father who will always be faithful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It's not been easy. In fact, it's been quite frustrating at times, including now, if I'm being honest. I'm hungry for more. I thirst for fulfillment of what's been revealed. I'm ready to be used in this new way. And yet, He sits silent in this particular area, and so I wait.
There have been moments when I've doubted the Word that was spoken to me. Maybe I simply misunderstood Him, I've thought. Perhaps I enjoyed a moment and made it into more than what it was. I confessed this recently, and a friend reminded me that our Lord isn't a God of confusion, that He's spoken to me, others have confirmed what I believed He's said, without any knowledge of it beforehand. "Be ready," she said. "Your time is coming."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Abram was ninety years old, God appeared to and said to him, ‘I am God almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will make my covenant between you and me and you will greatly increase your numbers. Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.’
...Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child when she is ninety?" Genesis 17:1-6; 17
What God promised Abraham made no sense. The technicalities of how it would all come to pass seemed a promise deemed impossible. He and Sarah had no children together and were very old. Doubts swirled through Abraham's mind as he attempted to decipher this incomprehensible word he'd heard from the Lord. He quite literally fell on his face in laughter, at the promise that Sarah would bear a child this late in life. How in the world? And yet, I can't help but wonder if that laugh, fueled by doubt, also held trust. Trust fostered in knowing that this God who spoke of things to come was a faithful God who would one day bring to fruition that which Abraham could not begin to understand. Abraham knew. All sense of reason argued against this, but deep down, he knew. Sarah would bear child, and he would indeed become the father of many nations. The Lord has said so.
So, he and Sarah trusted the Lord and what He had told them. And they waited. It wasn't easy and I am sure at times they were quite frustrated. In their time of wait, at times they were patient. Patient, but not perfect. Other times when their patience waned, they surely tried to take matters into their own hands. But, not until the time set apart by the Lord had come, did Sarah conceive.
"Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him...
...Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, 'God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.'"
Genesis 21:1-2; 5-6
Seven words. "At the very time God has promised...".
Notice Sarah's response to God's faithfulness. Laughter. Laughter born from waiting, laughter born from trust. A heartfelt response to what she knew was true all along, God would do as He had promised. I can almost see her now, laughing at herself for ever doubting, laughing at how He has shown Himself magnificent once again, in His time. Laughter of adoration, laughter of fulfillment. Laughter that spread because of His faithfulness.
Tonight I'm encouraged by this real life Biblical encounter of seemingly impossible promises fulfilled. I've grown impatient. How easily my interpretation of what I heard from the Lord about His plan for me has been challenged. How quickly my confidence has been overshadowed by doubt and insecurity. Moments He intends me to spend in preparation for the time He has promised, have been squandered on less important things. More than I would care to confess, I've tried to take matters into my own hands. Perhaps, He's even delayed fulfillment of this promise to me as a result of my own moments of disobedience. I'm blessed in knowing that just as God's grace covered Abraham's disobedience in his time of wait, so it covers me. God protected Abraham from some pretty ugly stuff, and He's done the same for me.
May I learn from Abraham and Sarah. May I find the beauty in the wait, embracing what He has for me in this moment of preparation. May my patience return once again and may this heart, that is prone to wander, anchor only to Hope in these waters of change.
When the promise has been fulfilled, may this heart find it's laughter. Laughter born from waiting, laughter born from trust. Laughter of adoration, Laughter of fulfillment. May everyone who hears my laughter, laugh with me. Laughter of their own, born from trust in a father who will always be faithful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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