Hello friends,
Here we are on the first day of Spring, March 20th, 2014. New life is popping up all over the place; in fact, in my back yard it's popping up faster than I can keep up with it. I've been trying for the last few days, in between rain showers, to get the place looking a little more presentable. I've been pulling weeds, mowing, and trimming shrubs and have the calluses blisters, and thorn pricks to prove it. I tell you that, not to win any attaboys, but just to tell you the background for this posting. I don't know for sure if this was a thought from the Lord or just the result of lack of oxygen from bending over and weeding for so long, but I think that I've come up with a spiritual lesson, so hang on, here goes.
As I said, every day is bringing on new growth, new buds, new leaves. Only a couple of months ago I was wondering if Spring would ever get here. Everything was so bleak and gray and dead-looking. This happens to me every year. I get antsy waiting for the bad weather to clear up and for the sun to reappear. And I've never been good at waiting. In fact, I hate waiting. Moreover, I find it somehow irritating, when in the midst of my whining and complaining about not liking to wait, and how God is sometimes slow about getting the show on the road, the Holy Spirit all of a sudden brings a convicting verse to my mind. I'm referring, of course to Psalm 27:14 where the psalmist tells us, "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!"
I don't know about you but waiting for the LORD does not come easy to me. I have to work at it, and I have to check my attitude often. Let me give you an example, a red-hot fresh one from our current circumstances.
Ramel and I are confident that God has called us to the Republic of Ireland with WorldVenture as church-planters to work in Sligo. We know that. We have no doubts. Furthermore, we know that it was God who called us to this task. We didn't just volunteer because it seemed like a good idea at the time. We know that this is a divine appointment. But here's the kicker...God has us sitting on the back burner waiting for our funding to come in. Worse...we are even having a hard time getting opportunities to tell our story. But apparently God is nonplussed by this predicament. It's bugging me no end but He's cool with it. Doesn't He know we're on a tight schedule here? Doesn't He know that we're getting old while He does whatever it is He's doing? Doesn't He know that we have a plane to catch and people waiting for us in Ireland? So what's the holdup, for crying out loud? Why doesn't He just poke a few dozen people so that they will want to partner with us and help us get to Sligo?
Oops! There it comes again, that pesky verse in my ear: "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" Yes...but...but.
Like I said, I really hate waiting, but I guess God knows what He is doing. Maybe He has something He wants me to learn by having to wait for Him. Maybe He has some people He wants us to help before we go. Maybe He wants to use us to challenge some churches concerning their commitment to help fulfill the Great Commission. Maybe He just wants to knock some rough edges off of me so that I will learn to shut up and trust Him, even when I don't understand why He does what He does. Maybe. Maybe He wants it to be Spring in my life, with new growth, and beautiful evidences of His resurrection handiwork. Maybe.
If you have any relevant thoughts on this subject please use the comments box below. Even if you just want to join me in complaining bitterly about having to wait on the LORD feel free to post a comment. Misery loves company and it's nice to know that somebody out there actually reads this stupid blog.
Thanks for listening to my rant,
Mike
