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This is part one of an article written by Lory Demshar, Chelmsford, Massachusetts. We will run the rest of the article over the next few weeks. Lory serves on the Teaching Team of the Boston Church of Christ.
There is something familiar about this place. I have been here before. In fact, I have been in this room enough times that I should take some comfort here, rather than the uneasiness that I feel. It is in this very room that I have come to know God and my “self” in a more real way. This room has an aura of sacredness about it that is compelling, yet I am tentative and cautious, not fully wanting to remain here. My fear and my sin have at times been exposed here, but it is also a place where building and refining of my faith and character have occurred. No, I am not in a school, a library, or a medical facility, but I am once again in “God’s Waiting Room.”
I am sure you have been in God’s waiting room before. Maybe you are or were here with a sick family member or friend; or with an unbelieving spouse or child; or with a rebellious teen; a difficult relationship at home, work or even in the church; a deep disappointment, or personal loss; financial troubles; wrestling with sin or faith. There are many reasons we come into this room.
In February of 2009, my husband was laid off from work. At age 60
this can be a frightening prospect. Eight months later, I am still
waiting on God. I have been here before on and off in my walk with God.
Once I was here for a few years while my husband recovered from a
terminal illness. I have at times wasted my time in God’s waiting room,
unaware of His working. There have been other times when I have looked
for escape. This time, I am asking God to teach me how to wait.
The World’s View
Waiting in our society is a bad word. It projects images of
frustration, being stuck, disgust, complaining, impatience, boredom,
anger and hopelessness. We have seen people pacing, despairing,
cursing, loudly complaining, even being enraged and abusive while
waiting. We live in an age of instant everything. We are an impulsive,
restless and at times a demanding people. We have automated tellers
because we don’t want to wait in line at the bank; microwave ovens so
we don’t have to wait for food to cook; self check outs so we don’t
have to wait in line at the grocery store; e-z pass for the roadway,
and instant access to information and communication all over the world
with the click of a mouse. We want things quick and easy. So for us
waiting is passé, but not so with God.
God advocates waiting. In fact, he expects us to “wait” and in some
instances commands it. In the Old Testament, God’s expectation for us
to wait on His purposes and timing is seen in the example of Abraham as
he patiently waited for 25 years for the promised son. David is an
example of a man who waited for God to provide the right time for him
to officially take his seat on the throne of Israel. During David’s
time of waiting, Saul pursued him around the countryside with the
intent to kill him. It was in this time period that many of the psalms
were written which reveal David’s dependence on God and are an example
to us today of a deeply personal relationship with God.
God’s View
God’s concept of waiting does not carry the idea of frustration or
“stuckness,” but rather one of expectation, hope, and development.
Waiting on God is not a solid state but a process. Some verses in the
Old Testament imply that waiting is an aspect of a living relationship
with God in which bonding occurs between God and man.
Much of what we will study about waiting on God in this article is
from the Old Testament concept of waiting. There are several words in
the original text that refer to waiting. The purpose of using these
words is not for an in-depth word study but to get an overall picture
of the concept of “waiting.”
(Continued next week)
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