Every day you face some sort of waiting. You wait in line at the checkout, you wait for your child to be done with baseball practice, you wait for brownies to get done baking, and the list goes on. Then, there are those waiting times that seem unending, like waiting in prayer for God to move in some way. It might be for you or for another person.
If you are like me, you tend to wonder why God allows His children to wait and wait and wait. You do your best at abiding in Him, desiring His will over your own, you talk with Him and study His Word, yet He places you in waiting times. Who else gets disgruntled over waiting?
Jen Wilkin gives the answer to why God allows His children to wait so much in her book, “You Are A Theologian.” She says, “Waiting implies we are not in control. Only the King builds the kingdom. The citizens of the kingdom simply receive it. Our posture in the meantime is to pray and to wait. As Timothy writes to Titus, ‘We wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.’ (Titus 2:13) What we cannot see now, we will see clearly then as Christ brings His kingdom to this world. We are not called to speculate or to pontificate about His return; we are called to watch and wait.” (taken from page 189)
The ultimate thing that every believer is waiting on is for Jesus to return. Why? For this world needs to be restored back to its original design. You can read about God’s original design in Genesis 1 and 2. Then in Genesis 3, sin entered in and turned everything that God created upside down. Despite the cunning lies of the serpent, God never leaves man’s side. His ultimate act of true love is the giving of His Son so all men can find their way back to God.
When you understand your sin, you can better yourself at watching and waiting for your Lord and Savior to show up in your life. You need to know that Jesus came to save you from this world. When you receive Jesus, you allow Him to separate you from the ways of this corrupt world. You will think and live differently when the Holy Spirit leads you forward.
Jen Wilkin also shares, “We understand ourselves to be passing through, versus putting down roots. Peter is alluding to the exile of Israel in the Old Testament, and to the example of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who lived their entire lives as tent-dwellers, awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise (Hebrews 11:9-10). The testimony of the exile is one of delayed gratification, and so it must be for the church. We must be good at waiting. We should not expect this world to help us get comfortable. Rather, we should expect to be treated as outsiders because we look like outsiders. We must lift our eyes to a coming city. Like Abraham the sojourner, we are ‘looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God’ (Hebrews 11:10). And one day, that city will descend, and the dwelling place of God will be with man (Revelation 21:3).
“Until that day, this world will feel hostile to the church of Jesus Christ. But when we feel most like sojourners, we can know with certainty that we belong to God. And to one another. How much sweeter is the journey through a strange land when it is shared by those with the same hope and the same Spirit!” (taken from pages 167-168)
It is good to be reminded that you do not belong to this world when you follow Jesus. Reassure yourself that as an outsider, you are definitely not one with God! Zechariah 10 gives you insight into the restoration God offers every person who desires to follow hard after His Son.
“For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has arrived to look after Judah, His flock. He will make them strong and glorious, like a proud warhorse in battle.”3 I will restore them because of My compassion. It will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries.”6 When I whistle to them, they will come running, for I have redeemed them.”8 “They will pass safely through the sea of distress.”11 By My power I will make My people strong, and by My authority they will go wherever they wish.”12
Today, watch and wait well. God is weaving every detail of your life into His marvelous plan of redemption. Love and serve Him as you go about your day. Remember, don’t align yourself with the comforts of this world. Seek His kingdom for it will carry you into eternity.
Carol J German 