Treat Me To A Feast: Notes From My Abundant Life: But who wants to wait?

Monday, August 13, 2012

But who wants to wait?

The LORD answered me, “Write down what I show you. Write it clearly on a sign so that the message will be easy to read. This message is about a special time in the future. This message is about the end, and it will come true. Just be patient and wait for it. That time will come; it will not be late.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 (ERV)

Here is what Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary says about Habakkuk 2…

Thanks to CalledMagazine for the inspiration, and the

reminder to chill

God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what He will say unto them. All are concerned in the truths of God's word. Though the promised favour be deferred long, it will come at last, and abundantly recompense us for waiting.

But who wants to wait? Today was a waiting day. Tomorrow may very well be a waiting day as well. God is not concerned about my plans (His are better), and my timing is so far off the Divine radar as to be fully irrelevant. I can be happy in my waiting (and praise Him in advance), or stew in my funk…He will move when He moves. He will bless in due time, and “abundantly recompense us for waiting.” Ahem.

Today in my impatience time moved slowly. I felt skittish, and even so, I felt His love. An unexpected mail was just the blessing I needed to hold on, until... I’d been tossing around a problem ALL DAY LONG, until I stopped thinking and started praying…and suddenly, more of a blessing fell upon me than ever I could have asked. Habakkuk knew that too.

Habakkuk had serious problems with patience. I am oddly comforted by knowing that a prophet of God could carry on like this in prayer and get away with it. I have my moments, but I’m not this bad…

“How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?" Habakkuk 1:2 (NIV)

So what’s the outcome? Not surprisingly since I have zero patience, I’ve written this question AND provided my own answer before. Habakkuk 2:1 (CEV) reads,

I will position myself on the fortress. I will keep watch to see what the Lord says to me and how he a will respond to my complaint.

From It’s time to go sit on the hill (published 3/19/12),

When Habakkuk wrote about taking his post, he was not talking about inactivity; rather, he spoke about keeping watch, being active. Habakkuk went about his days while patiently awaiting a word from the Lord. I’m giving it a try. I’m going to try and achieve an active peace.

I don’t think I’ll ever learn to be truly patient. It’s not among my gifts. I do fully appreciate however, that God’s working it out, and faith in God also means having faith in His timing. Whether we like it or not. I can be happy in my waiting (praising Him in advance), or stew in my funk…He moves when He moves. He will bless in due time, and “abundantly recompense us for waiting.” Selah and Amen.

So I will try and achieve an active peace. I might be a little still, but I will never be patient. It doesn’t matter, just like Habakkuk, He loves me anyway. And that anyway Love is a Divine reminder that God is good.