Waiting…
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Romans 4:18
Abraham and Sarah desired to have a child, which God promised to them in Genesis 12:1-9, Abraham was 75 years old at the time. Later in Genesis (15:4) God’s promise is repeated. By age 86, Ishmael is born, after Sarah comes up with the idea for Abraham to “sleep” with Sarah’s maidservant Hagar. Thirteen (13) years later at age 99, God promise is again reiterated. Yet again in Genesis 18:9-15 the promise is repeated, this time with God being specific. About a year later, Abraham now being 100 years old, Isaac is born to Abraham & Sarah, as God had promised.
Today, we live in a time of near instantaneous communication thanks to technological advances such as the telephone,cell phones,email, fax, instant messengers, & even blogs. In Western Society especially, we have an abundance of food that is readily available at either a 24 hour convenience store, a fast food restaurant, or something that we can prepare quickly by popping into the microwave oven. When we bank, we often choose to do so via an ATM, a drive-thru, or online to avoid waiting any longer than “necessary”. We’re inundated with messages on radio and TV, telling us that life is fast, we need to get in gear by getting with the latest program to bring convenience to our hectic schedules.
I think that we make the mistake of taking these temporal conveniences of life, and subconsciously, we attempt to apply their working(s) to our spiritual relationship with God. No, I’m not talking about sending God an IM or an email, but rather we’ve become accustomed to assuming that because a buddy in say California can reply to an email within minutes, or that we can nuke a snack in under 3 minutes, and are thus gratified instantly, that God too works on the same principle. Whenever we don’t receive a quick answer to prayers the natural tendency is to become impatient.
But no longer living by the rules of a natural (sinful) man, we now live with a different perspective as Paul, speaking to the Galatians tells us:
Galatians 5:16-18
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
Jesus left us with some powerful words regarding prayer, words that tells us that we can be assured of answered prayer. The answer may not always be what we want to hear however, it may come in the form of a “Yes” a “No” or “Wait”; but an answer still:
John 16:24
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
In addition to John 16:24 however, we ought to remember that in our prayers we too should emulate Jesus’ attitude, His desire. Jesus being submitted to God the Father, humbly desired to do the will of the Father.
Matthew 6:9-13
9″This, then, is how you should pray:
” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Disappointment or feelings of discouragement in our prayer life can come from our motives or attitudes not being in order with God’s desire to work in our life:
(The following excerpt courtesy of Stress Fractures copyright Charles R. Swindoll & published by Multnomah Press)
- When God allows something I was convinced He would not allow
- When I expected God to say “Yes” but He says “No”
- When things I believe should happen, occur much later than I expect
God has shown though the ages, that His timing is perfect. Whenever we feel as though we’re waiting on God to follow through with promises or answers to prayers, perhaps we should ask ourselves if maybe God is waiting on us.
Grace and peace be with you.