Wait

To me, the word 'wait' is one of the most challenging words in our language.

Not so hard to say or write- but in the doing of it, that's where it gets tough.

Especially so living in a culture of NOW!  Even having to wait for the computer screen to come up, we can become impatient (until those of us oldies remember what it was to not have a computer at all, or how long a boot-up took in the beginning days of home computers)! 

One of the most often lamented phrases for Lyme Fighters is "HOW LONG!?"

Most often, the answer is wait...from our family, our friends, our doctors...wait. 

Even more, the LORD calls to us to wait. 

This morning I read a familiar passage from Isaiah 40, verse 31:

^31" Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary."

To be honest-  I usually rush ahead and camp out on the ending strains- of gaining new strength, mounting up, running, not being tired (did I hear an Amen?!) , not becoming weary--  Oh my but all these sound deliriously delightful! 

But, who gets to taste these delights?  "Those who wait for the LORD"   Oh, wait. 

Figuratively we can get ahead of the LORD, moving ahead with plans that are ours, not His; we can rush ahead to give our affections to the gifts He offers to us, instead of setting our affections first on Him...

But in reality, the LORD is always literally in the lead.  Our mortal perspective is often skewed. 

Being laid low by Lyme can be a great opportunity to learn more deeply of what it means to wait for the LORD.   Many of us have no choice but to do so- we no longer have our own strength with which to muscle forward.  We lie waiting.

And while we wait, we seek.  We praise.  We learn.  We watch.  We listen.  We meditate on His Word.  We pray. 

In these, He meets with us. He ministers to us.  He reveals glimpses of mystery.   He is at work- we must take the waiting time not to be equivalent to void, to nothing happening-  in fact, spiritual, dimensional, mysterious things are happening.  All while we wait. 

In our waiting, may we be preparing for the days when strength returns, we are mounted, we are no longer weary or tired... 

Are you waiting today Dear One?  Go to the LORD in your waiting with thanksgiving- seek Him out today, enjoy His presence and His Word.  Trust in Him, that He is at work- this is preparation time, seize the moment with whatever strength you have. 

Blessings-

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

⁸ Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. ⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Isaiah 40
²⁸ Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
³⁰ Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
³¹ Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.