Waiting by Gini Walker

At the end of my waiting, will I be celebrating or mourning? I do not know. And, because I do not know, I struggle with Psalm 11:4 “BUT the LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD still rules from heaven.” In other words, God is in control. Yet, hearing these words spoken by people of faith as I stand and wait for an outcome, I sometimes feel a bit of a rage. It seems to matter why I am waiting. When I read Revelation 22:12, “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”, I know I will be celebrating. Yet, there are those life’s waiting rooms that often hold pain and sorrow with news.

Here are some waiting stories from scripture. “Greeting, favored woman!” The angel said to Mary, “The LORD is with you!” And Mary’s response? Scripture says she was confused and disturbed. Eventually she did say, “I am the LORD’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Acceptance. Then, much later, about 9 months later, scripture says Mary kept all these things (angels, shepherds, the birth of her savior son, etc.) and pondered. An angel also spoke to Zechariah about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Zechariah was more than confused and disturbed. He doubted. So his tongue was silenced for about 9 months. As the shepherds were told about the promised Messiah, they had to see for themselves. Then the people they told were astonished. Many different responses to news. And, from our perspective, all GOOD news.

Sometimes I feel there is a great chasm between heaven and earth. The Psalmist in Psalm 10 agreed with me. “O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” As I watch people stand and wait for word about their loved ones after buildings fall, no doubt these words ring true for them. As the years have passed, I have observed waiting, ending in disappointment, and waiting, ending with joy. If God had only recorded the positive outcomes in scripture, I’d be disheartened. But, he showed me Peter, who denied his Lord, and Thomas, who had to touch the nail-pierced hands before he believed.

So, as I see others wait, I need to consider my role. It is not to preach. It is to stand with them and encourage with tender care, especially when the news is not what we want.

(Scripture quoted from the New Living Translation Bible)