Month: <span>September 2013</span>

Published September 28, 2013

Choosing the Longest Line

by Marilyn Ehle

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits…” (Psalm 130:5) “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion… Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

A young boy was grocery shopping with his mother. Seeing the two checkout lines ahead, he made a quick strategic call: “Look, Mom! Those customers are moving faster. Let’s get behind them.”

Why was he in such a hurry? Was he late for a football game or television program? Was an important person waiting outside the store? I suspect that this boy had just fallen victim to the no-time-to-wait mentality so many of us adults have.

Waiting is not one of my strengths (and I’m sure I’m not alone in this sentiment; most of us really dislike waiting). I identify with Carlo Coretti, who wrote, “This pursuit of impatience easily drifts into my spiritual life. Wait on God? Wait for God? I need an answer now! An even more dangerous thought process proclaims, ‘I need spiritual maturity now.’”

Has the pursuit of impatience drifted into your spiritual life as well? How does one gain spiritual maturity in a fast-paced world?

Action Step: This week choose the longest line up at every chance. Pray while you wait in line so you can live by the pace of the Holy Spirit.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2013/09/28/me_choosing-the-longest-line/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Marilyn Ehle Thoughts by Women

Published September 28, 2013

Waiting

by Roy Lessin

The plan of God, the will of God, the purposes of God, and the answers of God don’t come to us all at once, even though they are all in His heart for us now. The mindset of the world might be “I want it, and I want it now” but the mindset of the world is not the mindset of the kingdom of God.

It is important for us to place everything that concerns us into His hands, and leave them there… it is here, in His hands, that all things are in safe keeping.

It is good for us to remember the truth that is stated in the worship chorus In His Time by the Maranatha Singers:

IN HIS TIME, IN HIS TIME
HE MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME
LORD, PLEASE SHOW ME EVERYDAY
AS YOU’RE TEACHING ME YOUR WAY
THAT YOU’LL DO JUST WHAT YOU SAY
IN YOUR TIME.
IN YOUR TIME, IN YOUR TIME
YOU MAKE ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN YOUR TIME
LORD, MY LIFE TO YOU I BRING
MAY EACH SONG I HAVE TO SING
BE TO YOU A LOVELY THING
IN YOUR TIME

Why does God say “No”? Because of our shortsightedness and His omniscience. He sees “the distant scene” and He knows how the next step should be taken that the “distant scene” may be made clear to us.

What we mistake for God’s denials are often God’s wise and providential delays, which are not denials at all. Many an individual thanks God that he did not have his way, that things were taken from him, that difficulties were put in his way to block his advance in order that the might have the delight of overcoming, or the delight of awaiting God’s time.

He sees the perils that are in our path that we cannot see. He speaks to us in mercy and grace and He builds us up to meet the dangers and be prepared to receive the things we could not wisely use today. There are many things which we can employ tomorrow that we cannot wisely use today.
–A.A. Conrad

When I cannot understand my Father’s leading,
And it seems to be but hard and cruel fate,
Still I hear that gentle whisper ever pleading,
God is working, God is faithful—Only wait.
–A.B. Simpson

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.”  Habakkuk 2:3

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2013/09/28/rl_waiting/

Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Roy Lessin