The Waiting is almost over

The waiting is almost over. Christmas is about to dawn again, and we eagerly await the birth of Jesus.

What is the longest you have waited for something to happen? A few hours? Days? Weeks? Months or Years?

How about 84 years? Well, this is how long we believe that Anna waited for the coming of the Messiah. 

"Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem." - Luke 2: 36-38

"During the night we must wait for the light." - Francis de Sales

Living in Grace

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Why do they wait for the thermals?

A question for today: Why do eagles wait for the thermals in order to soar and fly?

Answer: They have been taught from a young age to conserve their energy and to know that they are created to use the winds to their great advantage. They are not designed to flap their wings all the time.

"But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind." - Isaiah 40:31 (The Message)

In the same way, I believe that God has designed us to rely on His Spirit, so that we may soar and live for his glory. Sadly, there are many times when I forget this and I flap my wings too much, trusting in my own perceived strength and less on God's gift to me.

Prayer thought: It is tempting to be 'busy' the whole time, believing that our work is for God's glory, but sometimes we need to WAIT for the right moment and the right thermal. Our waiting my seem frustrating, especially when we see others flying/flapping all around us, however if we want to reach Godly heights, we must wait for his Spirit.

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We don't know how to sit still

Blaise Pascal once remarked that 'most of our human problems come because we don't know how to sit still in our room for an hour.'

This is an interesting take on finding time to be silent before the Lord. Is it true that many of our troubles could stem from our desire to 'fix things' in our own way or time? 

What do you think of this? How often have we run ahead of God, without taking time to know his plan or purpose?

I think it is appropriate to reflect on this in light of the disciple's obedience in Acts 1:8. Jesus told them to 'wait for the gift', which was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We know that they did actually wait, and when the Spirit came it changed everything.

Exercise: Can you find 5 minutes to sit in silence? How would this feed your soul? 

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Awaiting Further Light - a great practice to cultivate

What do you do when you can't figure something out in the Scriptures? In our modern times we are very fortunate to have bible commentaries and guides online - there are so many of these that they can be overwhelming at times. 

Ministering in a different generation, Dr. Leslie Weatherhead, used to cultivate the practice of 'parking' some of the difficulties he had, trusting that God would reveal a greater insight in the future. 

“When I read something in the Bible I don’t understand, I put it in a mental box marked ‘awaiting further light’” – Leslie Weatherhead

Colossians 2:2 - My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.

Thoughts: What does this mean for you? What would you place in the 'Awaiting Further Light' box?

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Wait with Hope.

"Wait with Hope.

Hope now.
Hope always." - Psalm 131 (The Message)

There are very few of us that enjoy waiting and the longer we end up waiting, the more we struggle to remain positive. In a Christian sense, our waiting has to have a long view of things. We know that not all our longings and prayers will be fulfilled in this life, but we continue to HOPE in the final resolution of all things.

What are you waiting for at the moment? Do you still believe that Christ can fulfil your deepest longings? 

Job 6:13 - For I am utterly helpless, without any hope.

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How long would you be willing to wait?

How long would you be willing to wait for the fulfilment of a promise? Most of us struggle to wait even a few days or weeks, but what would you do if these weeks turned into years? I think about how Moses needed to wait around 25 years for the fulfilment of God's promise:

"For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

“I will certainly bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number."

Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. - Hebrews 6:13-15

John Ortberg - Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.

Thoughts: How long have you waited for the fulfilment of a promise?

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God waits for us

Have you ever considered the notion of God waiting for us? We often refer to the fact that we are the ones who seem to do a lot of waiting for God, especially when it comes to the answering of our prayers. However, today's quote got me thinking about God's remarkable patience and grace with each of us. See what you feel.

"God waits to dwell in us and to fill us with yet more grace, more love, more wholeness and with his own fullness. But the God of the Bible never bulldozes his way into a person's life. He loves us enough to wait until, out of our own free will, we invite him to come to us." - Joyce Huggett

Perhaps it may make even more sense, when you read it in light of 1 Timothy 1:16 - "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."

Let me know what you are thinking.

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Waiting, waiting, waiting!

It seems that the Lord is trying to teach me (and a few of you) the valuable lesson of waiting. I am not a patient person, so this is a tough lesson to be learning again! I had hoped that by the time I was in my 50's I would be a lot better at this discipline, but alas, it seems I am not! 

Thankfully, the Bible speaks on this issue in many places, and I am grateful for the words of advice that can help me in my wrestling. So, if you find yourself in a similar boat, I offer you some words of solace and may God grant us all the ability to 'wait patiently.'

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." - Psalm 27:14

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." - Acts 1:8

Psalm 37:7 - "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;"

Isaiah 26:8 - "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."

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Patiently waiting

Patience has never been one of my best gifts - I get impatient easily and usually expect God to answer me according to my timeline and not his. Obviously, this doesn't bode well for me and so I realise that I need to take a leaf out of Habakkuk's book. 

Listen to what he says as he pours out his heart to God (Habakkuk 2;1).

"I will stand at my watch
    and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
    and what answer I am to give to this complaint."

As we position ourselves, waiting for the Lord's response to our prayers, may we not grow weary and lose heart. 

Grace and peace to you all.

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Confident of these things

I was thankful for the inclusion of Psalm 27 in the lectionary reading for Sunday. It reminded me that we can be confident in the goodness of God. This has been very helpful, especially in light of all that is happening around us at the moment.

"I remain 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

I believe that a person can only say these things if one has experienced them in the past. We can know God's strength and power, when we are willing to wait on Him. 

May God's spirit strengthen you and enable you to Take Heart.

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Waiting on God

Most of us are not so good waiting, let alone waiting for the Lord to speak to us. It can seem like a long time of silence, when God is working in the background, but we need to trust in his timing. 

“Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort.  Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.” - G. Campbell Morgan

·     Isaiah 64:4 - For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!

As the week unfolds, may the Lord speak to you and may we be blessed with the gift of patience.

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Waiting Patiently

The great nineteenth century evangelist George Muller remarked “if you continue to wait patiently and believingly upon God; then answers will surely be given to your prayers.” Today’s reading reminds us that our patience with the Lord will be rewarded in the end, we just may need to be very patient.

Psalm 40:1 - "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry."

"I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened." - Eugene Peterson in the Message

The words 'waiting' and 'patiently' don't usually go hand in hand, but I guess we are urged to keep trusting in God's ability to deliver us from our times of trouble.

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No perfect conditions

There is wisdom in sometimes watching how things pan out and being cautious about the future. However, this can also be something that prevents us from taking risks and stepping out in faith. Taking a look at this passage from Ecclesiastes 11 one notices how Solomon understands this reality. The person who watches for too long, will miss the opportunity to plant seeds and ultimately reap any rewards.

"If clouds are full of water,
    they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap."- Ecclesiastes 11:3-4

The Amplified Bible puts it like this:

"He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest]."

There are no perfect conditions for anything in life - we need to be able to seek wisdom, balance and faith, trusting that God will lead us onto the right path. 

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Waiting

 

Lent is a time of waiting. A time of expectancy. A period of longing and refining.
If you have given something up for this time period, then perhaps you are longing for Easter to arrive? If you are locked away at the moment, then you are probably longing to get outdoors or to see your friends again.

Waiting does something inside us. It can make us agitated, but it can also transform us. It is a deeply spiritual practise and a gift we should not turn away from.

So, what does waiting do for you?

"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope. 
   I wait for the Lord,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,    more than watchmen wait for the morning." - Psalm 130:5-6

The Psalmist teaches us that waiting is always better when we can put our Hope in the Lord. I guess waiting is easier when we know that Jesus always shows up.

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Watching and waiting

 

Young children are the most enthusiastic at Christmas time and in many ways they keep the miracle of Christmas alive for lots of us. Their constant questions about presents, Santa Claus, reindeer, holidays, food and more presents, keep us unusually busy.

Of course, in responding to the myriad of questions, we should always be willing to remind them of the real reason for Christmas.

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,

I wait for God my saviour,

My God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7

Our watching, waiting and hoping is all part of the Advent season. Teaching children (and adults) that all good things come to those who wait is a crucial part of this time of the year. 

As you watch and wait for the miracle of Jesus, may you not be disappointed by the GIFT that he is too you.

Living in Grace

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Waiting

 

Isaiah 41:10 - "They who wait upon the Lord, will renew their strength. They will run and not be weary they will walk and not faint."

The word wait in this verse can also mean - meditate, look to and hope in. Out of these 3 alternatives, the only one that implies some action is the call to meditate. In a world were waiting is a swear word, let us continue to look to the Lord, Hope in his goodness and meditate on his Word. In God's time we will renew our strength and we will continue our journey with the Lord.

Living in Grace

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Waiting

When you are waiting for something it is often easier if you know when the actual date is going to be. For example, if you are preparing for a big event - like a wedding, family celebration, function, race or sports fixture - the waiting is made bearable by the prescribed date. 

 

However, when you are asked to wait for something and you have no idea when the 'date' is going to be, that is hard to do. This was the situation the disciples faced between Ascension and Pentecost. We know now that it was only 10 days for them to wait for the Spirit to descend, but they didn't know that. It could have been 2 weeks, 2 months or even 2 years.

The spiritual challenge for us is to remain patient with God's timing, even in the moments when we wish God would hurry up. God's plans and gifts are always worth waiting for!

 

Luke 3:15 - The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.

Hebrews 6:15 - And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

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The Day is coming

 

My youngest son reminded us all this morning that there were 6 more sleeps until Christmas. That joyous morning is edging ever closer and closer. For young kids the last week before Christmas Day seems to drag on and on, but for us as parents there never seems to be enough time to do everything!

When the prophet Malachi was reflecting on the coming of the Lord, he spoke as if he was an impatient child - "SURELY the day is coming" he remarked! Surely...

Malachi 4:1 - “Surely the day is coming..."

The Good News is that the day has come (when Christ was born) and the DAY WILL COME, when he returns. Let us do all we can to make ourselves ready for that moment.

Ezekiel 39:8 - It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of.

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He is on his way

 

Picture the scene - You are at a wedding and everyone is excited and chatting away in the Chapel. Suddenly the minister walks to the front and says: "The Bride is on her way. She is almost here!"
The mood immediately changes and people have now become extra expectant - your minds begin to race and these could be some of your thoughts:

"She is on her way!
It will be any minute now.
This is what we came here for!"

Isn't this also the same for Advent? This is what we are waiting for:

"See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, 
and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. 
The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—
indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts" - Malachi 3:1

Indeed - Jesus is coming!

Living in Grace
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