“Dear
woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
(John 2:4, NLT)
Has life
ever felt like that for you? Have you felt like saying, “my time has not yet
come.” I know I have thought that more than once… I have had seasons when I
have felt like I was spinning my wheels, waiting for “my time” and the next
step in the path to be opened or taken. I also know I have wasted a lot of my
waiting time with self-pity and doubt that my desires would ever be fulfilled. A Song of a Submissive Heart
When Jesus
had finished saying all these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father,
the time has come. Glorify your Son, so he can give glory back to you.” (John
17:1 NLT)
I did not
intend for this post to be so perfectly timed with Holy Week…but here we are. Jesus’
life and ministry reached its peak between these two statements. He shows us
how to wait for our time to arrive, our prayers to be answered and our Godly
missions/tasks to be completed. In John’s
gospel (and many other places because the Bible is complete that way), we see
what can be done while waiting on the LORD:
·
take
the time to reveal the miraculous and extraordinary character of God in
seemingly ordinary ways (John 2 – The Wedding at Cana) *special note:
even though he had just said that it didn’t concern him, Jesus still helped in
a way that he could*
·
fight
for truth, redemption and justice of others while we wait for our own personal
truth and justice to arrive (John 2, 8 - Jesus Clears the Temple & Jesus
stands up for a woman caught in adultery)
·
connect
with someone and reveal God’s truth for their growth, salvation and encouragement,
even if we are tired and discouraged (John 3: 27, 30 (NLT) (John 3 & 4 – Jesus and
Nicodemus & The Samaritan Woman)
·
never
hesitate to stop and meet the tangible needs of people around you, regardless
of the tasks or schedule you or others around you think you should adhere to (John
5, 6, 9, 11- Jesus heals a lame man, Jesus feeds five thousand & Jesus
heals a man born blind & Jesus comforts the family of Lazarus and then
raises Lazarus from the dead)
·
reveal
the miraculous and supernatural character of God in any way that glorifies Him –
even if it seems ridiculous or unthinkable to those around you (John 11, 20 –
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead & is Himself raised from the dead)
·
always
declare the truth of who you are in Christ and who God has truly made you to be
(John 5, 6, 8, 10, 14 – Jesus claims to be the son of God, the Bread of
Life, the Light of the World & the Good Shepherd & The Way, The Truth
and The Life)
Following
God rarely looks right to those who don’t understand Him but follow the call of
God anyway – the end result will be surprising to all (including You – not to imply
Jesus was surprised, just saying You (and I) will be surprised since You (and I)
are not Jesus), your obedience will benefit more than you can imagine and ultimately
reveal God’s long-term goals for you and His people rather than the short-term
(John 13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything
and that he had come from God and would return to God.) An Anthem for the Impatient
With all that God has for us to do while waiting for His reply to our prayers, desires and His movement in our lives, it seems that the wait could pass quickly. BUT, perhaps because I am usually looking at me and my circumstances more than listening for the voice and direction of God, the wait NEVER feels like it has passed quickly. So I am with you in prayer and in spirit and with great expectation for the waiting. I love the sentiment of Psalm 27:13 & 14 (NIV) – “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” These verses give me hope that I do not have to wait until I’m dead to see God’s goodness and that the God of the Universe will be my strength, confidence and peace IN THE WAIT. A Song of Reminder
John 3:27,
30 (NLT) God in heaven appoints each person’s work. He must become greater and
greater and I must become less and less.
Isaiah 43:19 (NLT) For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!