Bobservations Column
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
My car needed to have some work done at the dealership this past week. After checking in at the Service Desk, I was shown to the Customer Lounge, otherwise known as “The Waiting Room.” A mere one-hour wait seemed interminably long.
When someone says, “Wait, I’ll be right back,” it’s like terror sets in because we immediately ask them, “How long will you be?” God forbid we are left alone with our own thoughts for even a minute!
If waiting isn’t already a lost art, it soon will be. While you wait, there is nothing for you to do. Our next activity is scheduled to be shared with the person who has asked us to wait. And if waiting seems like a waste of time, you are wrong. It could be well be a respite provided by the Lord to draw us into fellowship with Him. Perhaps He will engage us to use these short waiting periods to better our relationship with Him. He might be giving us time to pray, or time to rethink a recent hasty decision. And a simple prayer of “Thanks” is always well received by Him.
We even pray, asking to be more like Him. He is plenteous in mercy, and long-suffering while He waits for us. (And I mean really looooooong-suffering!) But while He waits for us, He busies Himself with other things, ready to drop whatever it is to pay attention to us whenever we are ready to give Him all our attention.
Recently an acquaintance made a demand of me, and I felt the Lord saying, “Wait.” So I did nothing about the request except pray, and within a few weeks, the situation took care of itself, and required no direct intervention on my part at all. It doesn’t always work that way, but in this case, it did because I spent the intervening time praying, and waiting on the Lord. I was blessed. My acquaintance was also blessed. The Lord’s help is far better than anything a human can do. Practice waiting on the Lord. Cease from fretting.
Empty your “full plate” a little. Bring your endless worries to an end. Give your problems to Him, and then dote on Him while Jesus works things out.
Today is my
granddaughter’s 12th birthday, and knowing that she and her Mom
would be traveling this weekend, my wife and I sent her gift ahead of time.
Wednesday evening, she opened the gift we sent. How blessed we were to watch
our granddaughter open our present via cell phone video, from her Florida home.
We are a culture that is used to fast results. Waiting for them is not something we do well any more. It is both a blessing, and a curse. While we love the instant results, we don’t get a chance to develop patience.
We are a culture that is used to fast results. Waiting for them is not something we do well any more. It is both a blessing, and a curse. While we love the instant results, we don’t get a chance to develop patience.
My car needed to have some work done at the dealership this past week. After checking in at the Service Desk, I was shown to the Customer Lounge, otherwise known as “The Waiting Room.” A mere one-hour wait seemed interminably long.
When someone says, “Wait, I’ll be right back,” it’s like terror sets in because we immediately ask them, “How long will you be?” God forbid we are left alone with our own thoughts for even a minute!
If waiting isn’t already a lost art, it soon will be. While you wait, there is nothing for you to do. Our next activity is scheduled to be shared with the person who has asked us to wait. And if waiting seems like a waste of time, you are wrong. It could be well be a respite provided by the Lord to draw us into fellowship with Him. Perhaps He will engage us to use these short waiting periods to better our relationship with Him. He might be giving us time to pray, or time to rethink a recent hasty decision. And a simple prayer of “Thanks” is always well received by Him.
We even pray, asking to be more like Him. He is plenteous in mercy, and long-suffering while He waits for us. (And I mean really looooooong-suffering!) But while He waits for us, He busies Himself with other things, ready to drop whatever it is to pay attention to us whenever we are ready to give Him all our attention.
Recently an acquaintance made a demand of me, and I felt the Lord saying, “Wait.” So I did nothing about the request except pray, and within a few weeks, the situation took care of itself, and required no direct intervention on my part at all. It doesn’t always work that way, but in this case, it did because I spent the intervening time praying, and waiting on the Lord. I was blessed. My acquaintance was also blessed. The Lord’s help is far better than anything a human can do. Practice waiting on the Lord. Cease from fretting.
Empty your “full plate” a little. Bring your endless worries to an end. Give your problems to Him, and then dote on Him while Jesus works things out.
“But they that wait
upon the Lord will renew their strength…”
-Isaiah 40:31
