I’ve been an amateur stamp collector for a long time now – I have cut stamps off envelopes and set them aside. Once plentiful, they have now become more of a boutique item as we have all run pell-mell to email.
Of course things have changed. Communication has become instantaneous – it’s easy to have thousands of emails in our box – efficient - yes. Fast - yes. Special – no. We have become used to things happening quickly. If a site doesn’t open up in five seconds, we move on to something else. We have become impatient, and this has impacted our Christian lives as well.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry” Psalm 40:1.
I’ve been an amateur stamp collector for a long time now – I have cut stamps off envelopes and set them aside. Once plentiful, they have now become more of a boutique item as we have all run pell-mell to email. This week Carol and I celebrate 44 years of marriage and I think back to when we were in a long-distance relationship. How I watched for a letter to come empowered by a stamp! Then to mail off my own letter and sit back to wait for the reply! Patience, Leon, patience!
Of course things have changed. Communication has become instantaneous – it’s easy to have thousands of emails in our box – efficient - yes. Fast - yes. Special – no. We have become used to things happening quickly. If a site doesn’t open up in five seconds, we move on to something else. We have become impatient, and this has impacted our Christian lives as well.
We just came through a time of prayer for healing this past Sunday and oh how we would love to see things happen immediately! It’s true that often in the Bible this was the case. But this is balanced by the times in the Bible that people had to wait. The Israelites in Egypt groaned to God for a long time before He sent Moses. Hebrews 11 lists many ‘yes’ answers, many ‘no’ answers, and also some ‘wait’ answers. There is much to happen until the time is right for the Rider on the white horse in Revelation 19.
There is no time lag for our prayers to be heard by the Lord. But sometimes for reasons unknown to us, we are required to wait. A Christlike character takes time to develop! Remember when it was popular to wear a wristband that said:
PBPWMGINFWMY? “Please be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet!”
We started this blog with a cry from David – maybe this is your cry as well. He went on to say: “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:2,3).
Be patient in your desire for a fresh encounter with Him. Wait on the Lord for His timing. Have a listen to this song from the past that is such a good reminder...
Pastor Leon Throness
