I would have despaired
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
My heart is full for God is good, there is nothing but goodness in Him! My feet are dancing for He delights in me... but there are times I am not dancing and one of those times is when I am made to wait. God allows waiting to try my soul and I hear no music to call me to dance before the throne. God's waiting room encompasses a variety of waiting experiences. Are you in His waiting room now?
'See in this a chance to die' ac Have you prayed years for something or someone and are weary of waiting? Are you in a painful marriage that has less life than a squashed bug? Has unemployment suffocated the hope out of you and panic rises like bile? Has fear linked arms with you and been tormenting you with 'what if's? Have you longed to be transformed into the likeness of Christ but see no significance change? Are you waiting the results of a medical test?
In the waiting room there is often shame and discouragement, darkness and whispered lies of the evil one who is the father of all lies. (John 8:44) There is a haunting unknown. Will tomorrow bring the same-ole, same-ole or unprecedented change? The fear of nothing ever changing can undo us and leave us weak-kneed and a prisoner of unbelief.
Where is God in this endless waiting? The enemies whisper "If" God loved you why are you here? He has forgotten you. He has lost interest and has moved on to other things. There is no job and this foolish activity of yours has produced nothing, hear me? nothing! If you were skilled enough you would be working. Something is wrong alright and what is wrong is with you! Satan wants discouragement to blanket you with a darkness in your soul, leaving you with stale air of confusion to breathe. Are you pacing, fists clenched with frustration and anger? Are you fed up and want out? Where is God in all this? does He hear? Will He bother? Where is He?
'See in this a chance to die' ac
Do you find yourself in His waiting room? He is there. The enemies waiting-room lies cannot alter Truth. Paul also faced the enemies of hatred and accusation, travel delays and trauma of ship wrecks and snake bites and misunderstandings. Paul faced each difficulty as 'seeing in this a chance to die' and as opportunity to wait on the Lord, resting in His wisdom and grace. O that we would use all our difficulties, disappointments, delays and trials of faith as Paul used his. The desire for God's glory burned in the hearts of these men and God strengthened them in His waiting room. David's waiting-room response song was thanksgiving and praise.
I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods.
On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul. Psalm 138:1 & 3
In vs 10, Job's faith states 'God knows' following the torment of verses 8-9:
“But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus loved and served Jesus. He frequently stayed at their home. When Jesus was beyond the Jordan, Lazarus became very ill. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus for they knew He could heal their beloved brother. When Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, He stayed 2 days longer in the place where He was. Try and taste this 48 hours! Place yourself there in the house where death hovered without invite. Ask yourself: why would Jesus do that? It wasn't for lack of love... see John 11:5. Verse 4 is the key: But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
When Mary and Martha heard Jesus reply they must have thought He would soon arrive and their brother would not die. But Lazarus worsened and died and now they had two choices as they grieved and awaited Jesus arrival:
This is what God has taught me in my waiting:
Let us be very watchful that the inner life, communion with the Lord Jesus, be the true source of our activities. mjs
Father God, Ruler of the Universe, Lover of our souls, You on whom I wait, You who have intricately timed all the minute intricacies of Creation, I bow. How tempted I am to focus on anything other than You! It is so easy to focus on my growth or lack of growth... my busy day... relationships good and bad. But You want all these to cause me to run to You and climb up on Your lap and let You enfold me and hold me and heal me and nourish me. I give You thanks for all the plans You have for me are good and purposed to accomplish Your will and purposes, Your glory. Forgive my grumbling and for allowing fear to encompass my spirit when I stopped 'beholding You!' Don't let me miss anything You have for me as I wait. O that I would make Your waiting room my sanctuary and lift my voice in praise and worship with thanksgiving. For to be Truth centered, I must be Christ centered! Teach me to focus on You for I have died and my life is hidden with Christ in God. And it is in His blessed, Living and holy name I pray. amen
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
Hidden with Christ,
az
unless I had believed
that I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14
In the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
My heart is full for God is good, there is nothing but goodness in Him! My feet are dancing for He delights in me... but there are times I am not dancing and one of those times is when I am made to wait. God allows waiting to try my soul and I hear no music to call me to dance before the throne. God's waiting room encompasses a variety of waiting experiences. Are you in His waiting room now?
'See in this a chance to die' ac Have you prayed years for something or someone and are weary of waiting? Are you in a painful marriage that has less life than a squashed bug? Has unemployment suffocated the hope out of you and panic rises like bile? Has fear linked arms with you and been tormenting you with 'what if's? Have you longed to be transformed into the likeness of Christ but see no significance change? Are you waiting the results of a medical test?
In the waiting room there is often shame and discouragement, darkness and whispered lies of the evil one who is the father of all lies. (John 8:44) There is a haunting unknown. Will tomorrow bring the same-ole, same-ole or unprecedented change? The fear of nothing ever changing can undo us and leave us weak-kneed and a prisoner of unbelief.
Where is God in this endless waiting? The enemies whisper "If" God loved you why are you here? He has forgotten you. He has lost interest and has moved on to other things. There is no job and this foolish activity of yours has produced nothing, hear me? nothing! If you were skilled enough you would be working. Something is wrong alright and what is wrong is with you! Satan wants discouragement to blanket you with a darkness in your soul, leaving you with stale air of confusion to breathe. Are you pacing, fists clenched with frustration and anger? Are you fed up and want out? Where is God in all this? does He hear? Will He bother? Where is He?
'See in this a chance to die' ac
Listen to Job's tormented cry:
“Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him"
When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him"
David cried out in Psalm 35: 22-23
You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent; O Lord, do not be far from me.
Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Do you find yourself in His waiting room? He is there. The enemies waiting-room lies cannot alter Truth. Paul also faced the enemies of hatred and accusation, travel delays and trauma of ship wrecks and snake bites and misunderstandings. Paul faced each difficulty as 'seeing in this a chance to die' and as opportunity to wait on the Lord, resting in His wisdom and grace. O that we would use all our difficulties, disappointments, delays and trials of faith as Paul used his. The desire for God's glory burned in the hearts of these men and God strengthened them in His waiting room. David's waiting-room response song was thanksgiving and praise.
I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods.
On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul. Psalm 138:1 & 3
In vs 10, Job's faith states 'God knows' following the torment of verses 8-9:
“But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus loved and served Jesus. He frequently stayed at their home. When Jesus was beyond the Jordan, Lazarus became very ill. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus for they knew He could heal their beloved brother. When Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, He stayed 2 days longer in the place where He was. Try and taste this 48 hours! Place yourself there in the house where death hovered without invite. Ask yourself: why would Jesus do that? It wasn't for lack of love... see John 11:5. Verse 4 is the key: But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
When Mary and Martha heard Jesus reply they must have thought He would soon arrive and their brother would not die. But Lazarus worsened and died and now they had two choices as they grieved and awaited Jesus arrival:
1. to focus on circumstances
2. to focus on Christ and His words
My flesh is frail and fraught with fears. How easily I crown myself King and crown my perspective and perceptions as Truth. But contrary to this I must behold Christ. I must choose to believe His word. Like Amy Carmichael, I can choose by faith: 'to see in every situation a chance to die'. My flesh never willingly dies, not even in small, personal ways, but I am called to the crucified life. (Romans 6)This is what God has taught me in my waiting:
God's timing is perfect.
God's timing is about God's glory.
God's timing is about accomplishing His will and purposes..
God's timing is hemmed in with a loving purpose.
God's timing is not about us anymore than the Christian life is about us. Let us be very watchful that the inner life, communion with the Lord Jesus, be the true source of our activities. mjs
Father God, Ruler of the Universe, Lover of our souls, You on whom I wait, You who have intricately timed all the minute intricacies of Creation, I bow. How tempted I am to focus on anything other than You! It is so easy to focus on my growth or lack of growth... my busy day... relationships good and bad. But You want all these to cause me to run to You and climb up on Your lap and let You enfold me and hold me and heal me and nourish me. I give You thanks for all the plans You have for me are good and purposed to accomplish Your will and purposes, Your glory. Forgive my grumbling and for allowing fear to encompass my spirit when I stopped 'beholding You!' Don't let me miss anything You have for me as I wait. O that I would make Your waiting room my sanctuary and lift my voice in praise and worship with thanksgiving. For to be Truth centered, I must be Christ centered! Teach me to focus on You for I have died and my life is hidden with Christ in God. And it is in His blessed, Living and holy name I pray. amen
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
Hidden with Christ,
az
