Recently, I read an article about waiting. We all get plenty of practice waiting, whether in traffic, at the doctor’s office, in the grocery or gas line, or in a variety of other situations. Yet most of us hate waiting. While waiting, we may get anxious and try to make things happen in our time rather than in God’s time. We tend to do damage when we try to take over the pace of events.
The author of the article suggests that much of the Biblical narrative is about waiting. We can learn from the Biblical characters who waited for God’s timing in spite of frustrations, disappointments, and various detours. Those who became impatient and did not wait often created more problems for themselves and others.
What do you do when you have to wait? I have found that if I take some reading material with me when I do errands, I can use time while waiting to catch up on reading. Sometimes, I use the time to meet new people by starting conversations. (I realize this can be annoying when others do not wish to talk, but I find that most people are open to conversation while waiting). Another option, which I need to choose more often, is to pray. We can look at waiting time as a gift to use for prayer, which tends to ease stress and anxiety. Try it the next time you’re waiting!
Our Family Promise hosting week starts Sunday! I am grateful that so many of our members are participating in this ministry. Please remember to pray for the families who will call the Grace campus home for a full week. May we reflect God’s love to these families.
This Sunday, July 23, the scripture passages are Matthew 28:18-20 and Genesis 12:1-4. Pastor Gary will be sharing a message entitled “The Good and Bad of It: Abraham.” I hope you are enjoying this series on Genesis. It is insightful to recognize the positive and negative aspects of the various Genesis stories. The story of Abraham’s life offers many lessons about patience and waiting, and the dangers of not waiting. You don’t want to miss this message!
I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Steve Hart