I remember when i was a child and heard a curse word from the neighbor kid. In my naivite, i came home and said the word in my mother's presence. She was horrified. Her reaction was enough to know that I had violated a major rule and possibly might be leaving the earth and going to heaven. She said, "where did you learn that four-lettered word?" I was not very old but still thought to myself -- "four-lettered words are bad? I should not use four-lettered word?" That means no CAKE - cake is a four lettered word? BATH -- hey this may work out in my favor? Seeing I was confused she tried to explain why the word was bad. Her attempt to explained got lost in my six-year old mind.
I am going to be 48 in a few weeks and i have discovered another four-letter word I believe is a curse -- WAIT! I am not very good at waiting. Sitting still in my mind leads to lack of blood flow which ultimately may kill you!! Wait -- is like saying NO! To me its not even a "maybe" -- it is hard to wait. If we were completely honest, waiting is hard for all of us. Being idle. Hearing nothing but silence. Being alone with not agenda, goal, timeline or anticipated deadline is difficult.
YET in the past few days I am learning the truth "they that WAIT upon the Lord will renew their strength." Or how about this one - "BE STILL (that's another way to say WAIT) and know i am God." For a week we have been sitting and waiting. Waiting for meetings. Waiting for conversations. Waiting for decisions. JUST WAITING!
And through it all God's presence comforts us. Sustains us. Encourages us. We wait -- HE WAITS WITH US. As a pastor I am reminded how important it is to sit in a hospital waiting room with a church member when their loved one is going through surgery. I may not say a word, but sitting and waiting is a fantastic ministry. When people are faced with sitting until they hear from someone or just to get a word from the Lord, there needs to be others of us who wait with them and FOR THEM!
I don't like waiting!!! But through it God does His work of shaping, conforming and encouraging -- much better then we would press ahead and try to fix it on our own. A matter of fact, if I wasn't still and waiting -- I would have missed what God was trying to do. Instead of "Nike's" famous "JUST DO IT!" slogan....I am starting a new ad campaign.... "JUST WAIT!"