Good morning!
This morning as I write to you, the landing of the space shuttle discovery has been delayed by 24 hours. Due to safety concerns the shuttle crew has been instructed to orbit for one more day before they attempt to land.
Sometimes in life we too find ourselves in a holding pattern. We live in a society that demands instant gratification. We carry cell phones, we get cash from ATMs, we cook our food in microwave ovens, fast food chains abound on every corner and we have access to information 24 hours a day. In our world today we do not like to wait and we will do anything to avoid waiting. But has all of that instant gratification really been in our best interest. We work more hours with less down time, rates of heart disease, obesity and other health ailments are on the rise. Fast is not always the best.
Now I want you to consider your prayer life. Don’t we all too often take our consumer mentality into the prayer closet with us. We come before God with our laundry list of requests and we expect instant answers and gratification. We attempt to dictate to God what is in our best interest and expect Him to deliver on our timetable.
The verse I want to challenge you with today comes from Lamentations. As the name would suggest the book of Lamentations is written out of suffering and pain. It is out of this suffering and pain that the following promise is found shining like a jewel in the sun:
Lamentations 3:25-26 (NLT)
The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. [26] So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
There are two words we need to pay special attention to here: Wait and seek. Many times when we bring a request before God we get no immediate response, other than to wait. It is important to remember that God is not bound by time. He sees all of eternity all of the time. You on the other hand see life through a very limited lens. You see only what is directly ahead of you, but you cannot see clearly into the future. Often what we are praying for is not what is best in our lives. God allows us to wait so that we can see His plan and His glory revealed clearly.
Secondarily there is the issue of seeking. To seek is an active searching. I like to think about seeking in the terms of digging for shells at the beach. When you do this type of searching, you sift the sand through your fingers. You dig your hands down into the sand and carefully examine the contents of each handful of sand. When you seek God in prayer we need to do the same. Carefully examine His word in your hands. What does that verse mean to you? What is God saying about your circumstance? What are those around you speaking into your life?
Today as the shuttle astronauts wait for their return to earth, their main task is to orbit and enjoy the view. If you are in a holding pattern right now, I encourage you to do the same. Relax, wait patiently and enjoy God’s handiwork around you. Trust in His competence to bring you safely through and wait quietly for His salvation.
Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.
Carl
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