A blog I follow gives a quote for the day. This one was from John Calvin, a famous Protestant reformer and theologian who lived in the 1500’s.
There is no place for faith if we expect God to immediately fulfill His promises.
And to think he wrote that 500 years ago – back in the slooowwwer days before modern technology was even a future thought. Look at us today!
We are such a microwave society. We want things now. We sigh when we get someone’s voice mail or they don’t text us back within a minute. We tap the steering wheel with our fingers if the red light doesn’t change within 30 seconds, or huff into our collars if there are two people in line ahead of us at the checkout counter. If our computer takes more than a few seconds to respond to our search, it must have a virus, right?
How often do we expect our prayers to be answered before we get up off our knees, and then when it doesn’t, assume God is not listening?
The greats of the Bible waited –
Abraham had to wait decades before Sarah became pregnanat- in fact, he didn’t wait did he? He and Sarah decided to rush God promises and impregnate Hagar, her slave girl instead.
Moses led the Hebrews for forty years before God was assured they could be a faithful enough to enter the Promised Land.
David, who so desired to build a temple for God, was told it was his son who would have that honor.
John the Baptist’s parent’s waited well into their golden years for him to become more than a twinkle in their eye.
Paul and Silas crouched in a smelly dungeon, and then sang hymns and conversted their jailer while they waited for God to save them.
There are many more examples.
God and Santa Claus are not the same person. The word “WAIT” is used almost 300 times in the Bible. The next time your faith is on the edge of morphing into impatience, read one of these verses:
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Pslam 27:13-14
I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7
for more about resting and waiting in today’s hectic life, please consider my new book: Squeeze More God-time into Your Day.
