For those of you who know me or have read my blog, you know that I often write on the subject of waiting. The Bible does indeed have a lot to say on the subject, and for good reason.
We are a people of haste. Especially in this culture. We want what we want, right when we want it.
"We can not wait for the fruit to ripen, but insist on picking it while it is still green. We cannot wait for the answers to our prayers, although it may take many years for the things we pray for to be prepared for us. We are encouraged to walk with God, but often God walks very slowly. Yet there is also another side to this teaching: God often waits for us," (L.B. Cowman, Revised).What? That's just crazy. You mean to tell me God almighty is waiting for me?
Let me take a minute to talk to singles. If you are single and you have chosen to wait for God's timing in bringing you a spouse, then right on! This is not a decision you will regret. BUT waiting for your spouse does not mean sitting around twiddling your thumbs. God has a plan for your life and you have to make the effort to walk in that plan. Pour into the next generation. Move forward and grow in your relationship with the Lord.
"There are times when it takes strength to simply sit still, but there are also times when we are to move forward with a confident step," (L.B. Cowman, Revised).Often times God's promises require an initial action on our part. This is found true with Abraham. He had to obey the Lord to receive God's promises. In Luke 17, when Jesus heals lepers and He tells them to go and present themselves to the priest, it says that "as they went, they were cleansed".
They had to walk forward even before they saw the promise fulfilled.
That's difficult to do. We want to have answers or results before we walk forward, but there are times when God does not give us the answers right away and we have no choice but to trust and rely fully in Him.
Thus says the Lord: "Stand is the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'we will not walk in it,'" (Jeremiah 6:16).
