Just Say Yes...Part 4

Here is this past week's message a few days late. I think that everyone will find it quite relevant. You can listen to it here. Enjoy!


Just Say Yes...When You Have To Wait

David

We will spend two to three years waiting in line, approximately 6 months waiting at a stop light (maybe more since we live in Atlanta).

Even though we get a lot of practice waiting, we haven't gotten very good at it (In this case, practice doesn't make perfect.).

1 Samuel 16:1-13 : a twelve year old is anointed to become king but God does not give a timeline for when this will happen
>Why didn't God wait to anoint David shortly before he became king?
-->There is something that happens in waiting that is necessary in our becoming who we're supposed to be.
-->If we didn't wait, certain qualities would not be developed in us. (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-4)

We are supposed to wait actively.
1 Samueul 17:20-51
>Saul becomes jealous of David and tries to kill him for several years.
1 Samuel 24:3-12
>David knew that it was not his job to take out Saul so that he could become king. He trusted that God would fulfill his plans in his timing.

We are supposed to wait patiently.
>Abraham faced the consequences of his inability to wait on God for a son (Genesis 16).
-->We sometimes try to take God's promise and our plans and cram them together.

We should wait expectantly.
2 Samuel 5:4 : David becomes king nearly two decades after his anointing.
>David's waiting finally ends.
>Psalm 40:1-3
>Isaiah 40:27-31
-->We should have a sense of hope and excitement because we know that God's promise will be fulfilled.

Ultimately we are in a constant state of waiting - for the return of Christ.
>Romans 8:19-25
>Revelation 21:4


A reminder about waiting God is especially relevant in today's culture and economy. We're all about now and fast (Drive-Thrus, Speedos, Quik Trip, Rapid Release medication). At the same time there are many people who are in need of a job and have been playing the waiting game. I liked to reminder that we will always be waiting on something. If we're not waiting on God to lead us to a job, we may be waiting on wisdom regarding a certain situation. Even if everything in our life seems to be going smoothly, there will be an opportunity to wait coming up. It's always something.

For me, I am heading into a season of waiting with the book I'm working on. I am at the point of trying to find a publisher. I will submit summaries and proposals and then have to wait and see if I receive any response. I hope it will be easier to be patient throughout the process knowing that waiting has purpose and should be an expected part of life.

Right now, I suppose I am also sort of waiting to become a parent. I know that it is coming, but I don't know exactly when. In the meantime, I am trying to wait actively by preparing a place for the baby and reading about the various aspects of caring for a child.

What are you waiting for? Have you been able to wait patiently, actively, and expectantly?