Waiting

W – Walking with You – hand in hand
A – Adoring You – not remaining angry for the wait but praising Your name, Your timing and Your plan. Your ways are greater than my ways, Your thoughts higher than my thoughts (Isa 55:8-9). Great are You Lord and worthy to be praised (1Chron. 16:25).
I – Inquiringly – looking for Jesus’ hand, listening for His voice of guidance and love. Don’t miss Him along the way or the opportunity for the wait to be over.
T – Thanksgiving – give Him thanks for who He is. I may not be able to thank Jesus for the wait all the time but He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! (Heb 13:8) Be thankful for Him as you were prior to the wait. He has not changed.

Journal entry 6/29/09

Tonight I made a fire. The wood had “cured” so long that it was gray and somewhat light. Most likely it was oak. I chose small pieces so it would burn fast. This wood looked like everything had been sucked out of it – color, sap and life. Yet here I lay on the floor of my son’s room looking out the back door watching my fire as it rained.

Prior to the rain, while I sat outside, it was an amazing fire. It kicked off so much heat I had to take off my robe and move my chair back to escape some of the heat. When it started to rain most of the kindling had burned away and the three pieces of wood were maybe half gone. I spread the wood out because they had been piled in a fallen tepee. I put the lid on the pit and lay on the floor looking out the door. The fire continued to burn with pretty good flames. These pieces of wood were extremely weathered and appeared pretty lame for my fire. But it has been way past 30 minutes and the fire continues.

Can we be the same? We have sat around on a pile, scorched by the sun, drained of our presumed life, soaked in the rain, frozen by winter, neglected…yet when Jesus takes us and adds His flame…His light…His Spirit…we burn bright and strong. There is life in us – His life, kindled by His Spirit bringing heat, light, hope and attraction for others.

Even now the flames are finally gone but the embers are not, if I rearranged the wood maybe added some more logs the fire would begin again. Who really knows God’s ways and purposes? I don’t. I do know this…He is faithful and true. He has not forgotten me. I am used by Him and will be used by Him to fulfill His plans/purposes in His time. In Him I can burn bright and long for Him, even after what seems a much too long wait.

Where are you today? Do you feel like you have been left on the pile? Are you W.A.I.Ting or hung up with anger and frustration? Waiting can be very hard but don’t get caught up in anger and frustration and miss the blessings Jesus has for you as you wait.