A week ago, we attended an AWANA fun fair with our three children following a year of working to memorize bible verses. If you quizzed them now, they would not likely recall every verse, but would at least be familiar with most of them. So the fair was filled with games and activities which allowed them to win prizes, candy, soda, etc and by the end they had enough sugar collected to fuel them for a week or more. There was also a booth doing snowcones and unfortunately we waited till the event was almost over to get in line for snow cones, because you you gotta keep your promises. So after 40 minutes of almost patiently waiting, we got to the front of the line and got our icy treats and 3 seconds later, our 7 year old had dropped his all over the floor, which he then had to clean up. Instead of getting back in line to wait 10 minutes for another, we headed home with a sad child. When we got home, we shared 3 other snow cones with him and he was satisfied, even though it did not turn out as he had planned, but was still ok. How many times have you patiently waited for something, only to be disappointed when it arrived?
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. Psalm 37:7-9
Now, when I can’t get to a webpage instantly, or when I have to wait more than 5 seconds for the person driving in front of me to turn, I get impatient. When I was a child, it felt like time seemed to go the slowest in the month leading up to Christmas. Maybe it was the anticipation of the time off school, presents, and celebrations ahead, but the wait maybe elevated the excitement of what was to come, even if I didn’t get everything I expected. Another time growing up, there were several possibilities that my father would get a new job and our family would move to another state, and we speculated what that would look like for us, but after a few opportunities came and went, we didn’t get too excited till one day we found out we were moving. With any change, there were pros and cons to moving 5 hours away from the only home you ever knew, but we made the best of it. Then there are things we always hope for, or which may have been promised to us, which never seem to ever become reality. Maybe when you were younger, you had dreams and expectations of what life would be like when you were older, with hopes of a certain job, or family, or what life would be like, but that almost never plays out as we would like, because we and those we live alongside are imperfect. Things don’t always play out well in a flawed world.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12
When bad things happen to us, or to good people, do we get discouraged? We can turn in to any news source and hear of bad things happening every day, but most of the good things happening don’t make the news. We never hear of the thousands of families building up their children, growing in knowledge and faith, and enjoying life with them, because that is not sensational enough to make the news. Are we patiently doing our jobs the best we can, trying to train our children and grandchildren to become upstanding citizens, and trying to do what is right and honorable in all areas of our lives? We may become frustrated or impatient at times with how things are going, but hopefully we are trusting in the right things along the way. If we start to veer onto the wrong path, there are others to help you get back on track till we someday pass from this life and enter a new chapter. Do we look forward to our heavenly home in the same way way as we do this one…with hope or with dread, or with wonder and amazement for each new day we have?
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Yours in Christ,
Clark
