Waiting Well

“Sarai said to Abram, “Since the LORD has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.” Gen.16:2

I detest waiting. I arrive on time to a doctor’s appointment and if I sit too long past my designated slot, more than the clock in the room is ticking. My dermatologist leaves Golf Digest (I don’t golf) and sleazy Hollywood gossip magazines (don’t care and not interested) to keep me amused during the waylay. Trust me, I’m past amusing at this point. When at last the nurse escorts me back to the examination room and announces, “The doctor will be with you shortly”, I wonder what her definition of ‘shortly’ is. Dr. Seuss claims the waiting place is a most useless place. However, I’ve found the key to enhancing the waiting rooms of life. Lessons can be learned from those who’ve waited well and those who didn’t. Let’s examine a few folks and their patience barometers.

The patriarch Abraham received a promise of descendents from the Almighty Himself. But when the biological clock began to wind down for his wife Sarah, she decided to take matters into her own hands. The dysfunctional dynamics took a toll on everyone involved and the innocent children brought about by impatience. God will use our drama, though its effects may produce ripples in a family for generations.

Job and his wife lost about everything a couple can lose in the span of a day – children, house, land, and animals. Mrs. Job lost her cool (not judging the heartbroken woman, I might’ve regretted my response too) and suggested “a curse God and die” ending for their epitaph. She remained clueless to God’s ending of their story, not knowing the wait had double blessings.

A stay in prison caused John to wonder if Jesus truly was the long awaited Messiah.

Saul the king, in an impatient moment offered sacrifices to the Lord. Only priests carried out this duty. His impatience resulted in losing his kingdom.

And then there is Christ. In the fullness of time He came. For thirty three years He obeyed. He watched and waited and laid down His life – for us. He never ran ahead or lagged behind. He walked in sync with the Father. No regrets. The race for the salvation of souls was a laying down of clocks and schedules and fairness.

In the fullness of God’s time we’ll see how He worked behind the scenes, why He waited to answer prayers or prevented certain requests from being answered. But in the waiting room of life, let’s make the time useful – not useless, and turn doubt into trust…waiting well.