Habakkuk 2:2, 3 says that the Lord answered saying, "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness point to what's coming. It aches for the coming-it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time."
We live in a world of instant gratification. I want it and I want it now and if you can't deliver that to me now, I'll find someone who will and can. We've lost the gift of patience. I'm not saying anything we don't already know. We've lost the art of using an oven; now it's a microwave that will zap food in seconds. We've lost the art of reading with a wide range of audio books so we can listen while we multitask. We've lost the art of research. At our fingertips is the world wide web with anything and everything I need to know and some things I shouldn't. We've lost patience.
Although patience doesn't come to me naturally, it is not something I ask God to help me with. I know that's one thing I know He would send me through the stickiest trials if I want or need to learn more patience. We all have so much on our plates every day that a lesson in patience is not something I chose to endure at this time. I thank God for the patience He has graciously taught me in the past and praise Him that I understand patience.
Is it wise to live in a world of instant gratification? I'm not sure it is, but I'm not sure I have the answer to change it. I guess I would say I'm spoiled and partly it's my own fault for allowing it. Natalie turns seven tomorrow and we couldn't wait to get the trampoline set up in the back yard. With all the rain we have had lately, I'm starting to wonder if I should be building an ark and Natalie has been tested with patience because the rain won't let up long enough for her to get out there and bounce around.
I have to admit the other day I was in a pickle. Nothing major, but the outcome was going to require a lot of work and a lot of my time. My time that I thought was valuable and should be spent elsewhere. I literally cried out to God and asked Him to send His son for our eternal homecoming. Why? Because I'm lazy. Grant it, that would have been the ultimate gift. But I wanted him to return so I wouldn't have this work to do. I Corinthians 1:7 speaks on waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3 tells me that the Lord will direct my heart into the love of God and grant me patience waiting for Christ. But... I want Him to come now.
There are days that I feel closer to God than others. Sometimes I think He doesn't hear me at all. I think we all go through these times. Today I felt God's presence all around me. Our family had a victorious day. Over the last nine years my nephew has carried around a huge burden and pressure! Praise the Lord, we received a call that told us he walks a free man today! It's been a personal battle for our whole family, but we've stayed by his side through it all. There have been many times when I thought we would never see this day; this day of freedom! For nine years we've waited for this release. We always knew God was on our side, but sometimes waiting for the answers were the hardest part. It's easy to say, wait upon the Lord, but when you have to suffer through tough situations, that waiting becomes very difficult.
I think it's odd how God loves to throw things in our pathway. This morning there was a stirring in me to write something about waiting. I kept hearing and began writing... "Wait upon the Lord; write a vision down on tablet, make it known then wait on the Lord." Then, Praise The LORD! we received the phone call we've been waiting for for nine years! Seeing the waiting period that God has just sent us through with my nephew, makes me wonder: what is God's timing? What if our minutes are years to God? What if our years were merely minutes to God? What if God has said... hold on, just wait a minute.
After I had already began writing this blog, my dad called me and told me the great news. I couldn't stop crying tears of joy! I wanted to scream it to the mountain tops. I wanted to give praise and worship to God. I talked to my nephew on the phone and he was rejoicing with me. He said, "Sue, I don't know what to do now that I don't have this pressure hanging over my head." The only response I knew to say was, "God has been on our side this whole time. Use this situation for His glory and give Him all the glory! You gotta give Him the honor He deserves because if it were not for Him, we wouldn't be here today." We had our own little revival on the phone on the back porch of my work. I paced the floor in front of my sisters conference room until finally, I built up enough courage to break up the meeting to announce to her that her nephew was a free man. The bubbling inside of me wouldn't sit still. I wanted to shout it to the mountain tops!
I chatted with my dad on instant messenger after word was spread throughout the family. I told him I have felt like I have been in the dumps lately and this was the most excitement I have felt in a long time. Work isn't going all that great and wish things were a little different than they currently were. We started our conversation at the same time a lady walked into my cubical. I asked him to, "wait just a minute, I have someone in my cubical" but by the time I got back to the conversation, he was already gone to make some lunch.
Dads words read, "When I get in the dumps, I try to go the other way. I see people who are worse off than me and it doesn't seem as bad as I thought." He went on to say that he looks at his health and the heart ache he thinks he causes his family how that makes him sad. Then he realizes there are so many that don't even have a family. How he is very blessed to have a loving wife and four daughters and two of the greatest grandchildren anyone could ever want. Then he said, "Then I remember that Jesus died for ME and that I have never had to pay a price like that for anyone."
I feel like my nephew has paid some price, nothing like Christ has, but I think he understands what it means to be persecuted. Though I haven't talked to him about it, I believe he has a testimony to share with the world. I am blessed with a wonderful, loving family. A family, that I know without a doubt, has my back in any situation. I've seen each of us go through different battles and we all came out victorious and as one. Although sometimes it takes more time than we think it should and we have to wait out the storm, in the end, God is with us every step of the way. My dad ended our conversation as he normally does, "ALWAYS REMEMBER "I LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER."
Today, we have a reason to celebrate, and together we hope the celebration goes on for a very long time as it should. Though there will still be some waiting until all is over and said, we are certain that God is on our side and has worked miracles in our lives. We give Him all the praise and glory for everything even if we had to wait a few minutes.
Oh, Lord, You are an awesome God! Thank you for the amazing answers you have given us today. Thank you for this victorious day! Thank you for the having me wait for it has proven my faith in You even more! Thank you for taking care of my family and showing them your grace and mercy. I'm asking you now to continue to encompass us in your loving arms and continue to protect us as you always do. Thank you for allowing me to understand patience and thank you for allowing me to wait upon you. Thank you for hearing our prayers and more than anything... thank you for answering them so beautifully! In Jesus' precious, loving name.
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