Waiting...

It's astonishing to me that when I hit 'enter' after typing something into my browser, if it's not at the 'destination' of my request within 5 seconds, I'll retry. Sometimes I'll even restart the computer if it seems to be slow... (before you roll your eyes at me, count to one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, four-one thousand, five-one thousand...my guess is you skipped all of those because it was taking too long?)

We hate to wait. My generation hadn't even experienced technology for what it is now until we were in junior high when the walkman (portable CD player) was all the rage (especially if you had one of the ones that didn't skip when the school bus went over all the bumps). Before then cassette tapes, radio programs, VHS tapes, and pagers, were all normal to us; cell phones and the internet seemed like things we'd watch the Jetsons use Saturday morning on Cartoon Network. Suddenly a tech-typhoon swept over us and has never weakened. We make them faster, smaller, better, trendier, faster, smarter, sleeker, louder, cleaner, easier, and oh, did I mention we really like to make things faster? I'm sure it's no new bit of information for me to tell you that everything we develop in some way is geared towards getting gratification, and getting it instantly.

We don't just hate to wait, we don't know how to wait. For a moment with me shift your attention away from the technology, and towards your heart to see what this genre of circumstance reveals.

To wait on something that is not in your control, is to depend on something or someone else. Our unquenchable thirst for instant appeasement translates into an obsessive need to have constant control at our fingertips (metaphorically and literally speaking). Always.

The Bible so beautifully highlights the value of waiting, the merit of being patient, and the importance of releasing our grip. Do we really want to see the Lord work? Do we truly desire to see the power of the almighty God manifested in this world? Then we need to return to our true place, the place that belongs to us, in both creation and redemption, the place of absolute and unceasing dependence upon God. Waiting on Him.¹ 

Whatever you're waiting on today, be still and know he is God (Psalm 46:10). Our fullness and joy is to be found at the foot of the cross just waiting. Our timing is often flawed and our plans are seldom unselfish, but praise the Lord for His grace and mercy, for His timing is perfect, His plan is divinely sovereign, and His Love for us is unparalleled.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint"

Isaiah 40:31