So I asked God if He could just speak something to me quickly. I wanted something to carry with me through the day. "Patience of Hope" impressed itself into my soul. And I was like, "thanks God, but what does that even mean?"
But, no time to ponder over that one. It was time for shoes on and out the door. But as I was walking to work, the phrase kept playing over again in my head. patience of hope, patience of hope, patience of hope...
Still no comprehension.
And then, as I was helping my first customer at work, a story came to me. The story of Jacob and how he worked for Laban 14 years so that he'd be allowed to marry Rachel. patience of hope...
To work 14 years to be able to marry someone requires a lot of patience. I think that much patience is only possible if you have a great hope waiting for you on the other side.
I had my little aha! moment, right there at the till; followed by an awkward moment with my customer since I'd been lost in my own little world for a bit (save that story for another day).
But as I realized what patience of hope meant, stories of Bible characters flooded my mind, all examples of this phrase.
Joseph received a dream, was then sold into slavery, thrown into prison, and then made governor of Egypt before his dream was fulfilled. Moses lived in the desert for 40 years before he became leader over the Israelites and then had to wander the desert for 40 years before setting eyes on the promised land. David was anointed king years before he ever came to the throne.
Hebrews 11 is a chapter full of people that had to go through the waiting in order to see their hope fulfilled.
The waiting....sigh...
It was actually the perfect word for me for the week. I came back from the Cooks and I was ready to pack up, turn around and fly back. It's been so long!! I want to be back on the field, I want to head back...right this instant.
God's time is not our time. Bible history records 4000 years of waiting for the promised Messiah and we are now 2000 years waiting for the return of Christ. But every generation had the hope of His coming.
God is a God of patience. He works in mysterious ways, incomprehensible to our tiny minds.
Patience builds character, prepares us for the future. Marinate, don't microwave.
So, I hate waiting, I want to be back RIGHT NOW. But God is reminding me, one step, one day at a time.
Enjoy the journey, it's the biggest part of the adventure.
Where are you at in 'the waiting'?
