Waiting

Waiting is a common – and usually unappreciated – experience.  Even waiting for good things frustrates us.  Our minds fix on what we do not have yet, unable to enjoy what we do have.  It is a waste of the precious, limited commodity of time.  We fuss over the unknowns, allowing our perceived lack to consume our minds.  While we wait, time passes unnoticed. 

That is not true for God; time is our burden and pain.  He is timeless.  Every moment we call time is a thread in His eternal plan.  Today is simply a vibrant piece of His story.  Like a page in a classic novel, the richness has no empty spaces but builds to the perfect conclusion.  The victory of Christ concludes our stories, so how do we learn to resist letting time slip away while we ‘wait’ in faith?  The season of Advent helps us grasp the concept! 

Choosing to use the days before Christmas to focus our hearts and minds on the loving plan of God revealed at Christmas is the key to ‘waiting’ well.  Waiting is not wasted when the coming of the King is our confident hope.  Waiting becomes worship when we have the right perspective.  Remembering that before God spoke the first word of Creation, He knew the joy of Bethlehem, the suffering of Calvary and the glory of the resurrection boggles our minds.   The Masterpiece designed from and for eternity is complete in Him; today is but one vibrant scene in the weaving.  Looking at the Artist, seeing His perfection assures us of the outcome.  A sweet hymn sings what our hearts cry, “What a strange way to save the world.”  Yet we rejoice that His ways are not ours for His ways are perfect.  His timing is not ours, and again, we trust His perfection.  With our eyes focused on His presence, the tyranny of time cannot disrupt us.  Christmas centers our hearts on the love of God, the promise of His presence.  Christmas must not be confined to December 25^th.

In Acts chapter 9, Paul’s encounter with the Lord offers us another aspect of waiting that inspires me.  After the blinding encounter on the road to Damascus, Saul was instructed to “Arise and go…” until further instructions were given.  In the city Saul was to go was another man—a disciple of the Lord who also was told “Arise and go.”  Ananias, with normal fear, questioned the Lord.  Ananias knew this man named Saul, knew he hated the followers of Christ.  Yet God knew more than Ananias.  In God’s masterpiece, Saul needed to become Paul.  Ananias needed to reach out and share the Spirit with him; Saul waited till the Lord’s disciple obeyed.  Perhaps there is a Saul in our lives, waiting for the touch of the Spirit through us.  Let’s not waste time questioning the Lord.   Wasting time is not a part of God’s plan.  He wastes nothing.  We, as His disciples must step in and be the touch of the Spirit for hurting hearts.  Angel Tree Ministries is the perfect framework for applying that touch.

Children especially struggle in these days before Christmas.  The longing for the presents under the tree is almost more than their hearts can contain.  For children of incarcerated parents, the wait often extends long beyond the Christmas season.  Separation and finances compound the pain of the parent’s absence.  Angel Tree Ministries steps into the pain to share the balm of love Christmas is all about.  As you begin to prepare your heart for Christmas, consider making Angel Tree part of your preparations.