Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Waiting, waiting waiting. How much have we waited just this week? I waited for red lights. I waited for my computer to boot up. I waited for answers to emails or phone calls. I waited for the microwave to ding or the water to boil. I would bet that all of us have a list of things we waited on just today, never mind the entire week.
Now - who enjoyed it? I’ve found ways to cope - going through lists in my head, reciting verses or poems I’ve memorized. I knit or read or find something to do while waiting. Still don’t much like it.
And I don’t usually feel renewed strength. Waiting is hard work. It wearies you. And the more important the thing is that one waits for, the longer and harder it seems . It’s much easier to wait for the pizza than to wait to find out if you got that job. And the amount of time doesn’t necessarily weigh in on how hard it is to wait, either. Waiting on a package is a lot less wearying than waiting on biopsy results, though both should only take a few days.
Waiting is not only something that happens in the physical life. There are emotional waits - my husband dealt with one of those while I was deciding whether to marry him. We’ve experienced those while sitting vigil with a dying loved one.
And there are spiritual waits - which often involve our emotions. The biggest of these is the ongoing one of “how long, Oh Lord” that hits me like a brick when I see certain news stories, or work with harmed children. Then there are the day to day spiritual waits when we want an answer to the questions bothering us and one isn’t right there at our fingertips. We get impatient, even angry at God that we have to wait at all
Often all these kinds of waiting tie together - waiting takes time, and emotional, physical, mental, spiritual energy. Is is even worth it to plan, to look forward to things, to care enough to wait? Waiting can be painful.
But waiting is important. That is recognized in aphorisms like, “good things come to those who wait.” And it’s been experienced by every kid waiting for their birthday, or couple waiting for their wedding. And Christian waiting to see what God will bring out of the situation they are waiting through.
Waiting on the Lord repeated throughout the BIble - the people wait for God, and God encourages the people as they wait. It’s kind of an ongoing conversation.
-we’re waiting, we’re waiting, there’s something good, right?
-Yes, be patient, wait a little longer, I’m coming.
-It’s taking so long!
-I know, it will be good in the end.
The emphasis here - for instance in Isaiah 40 - is a contrast between God’s strength and capability and human weakness, wandering and frailty. And these things meet here, in our lives, where we strive to keep God present in our minds and to overcome our tendency to wander off and to give up so easily.
We do not wait idly. I knit on my sock in line at the grocery. There are things we can do with our hands, with the tools given to us, while we wait. And these things can strengthen us, if we choose what we do while we wait carefully.
There was a time when I was caring for an elderly relative, and would use the time she napped to do exercise videos. That both strengthened and drained off some of the stress.
We need to so similarly in our spiritual lives. While we are waiting on the Lord, choose to do things that will strengthen our relationship, that will let Him work in us and create in us a clean heart. We can practice and live as citizens of the City and servants of the King for which we wait.
And we in Simple Church strengthen and encourage each other while we wait together.