Jimbo's Jots

There are different kinds of waiting.

There’s the waiting for Thanksgiving or Christmas or some other holiday. It’s the anticipation of seeing family and friends, sharing a meal, and being together. It is the spirit of the season when people seem to act friendlier.

There’s the waiting at the doctor office. Sometimes it is “The doctor will be with you shortly.” And that’s not a big deal because you are just there for your check up. There is also, “The doctor will be with you shortly.” But this time, your doctor has called you back into the office because you may have a diagnosis that needs immediate attention.

We don’t like waiting! Let me rephrase that . . . the kid in us does not like waiting. We’re impatient people. You’ve heard the old sermon illustration . . . you ask God to give you patience. But you want it NOW!

Recently, we purchased new furniture for our home. The salesman at the store told me, “When they call you for a delivery, they may not have all of the pieces. Take the delivery at that time, and they will deliver the rest later. Also, they probably won’t be available for delivery until mid-October.” This was early September. So we waited. The furniture has come piece by piece, even waiting today for a delivery as I type this.

I don’t know what David was experiencing when he penned this Psalm. For the most part, this is a psalm of deliverance. Before that, he was burdened. So, he waited and waited for God to work.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him. (Psalm 40:1-3, NIV)

Notice his language . . . “slimy pit” . . . “out of the mud and mire”. We’ve been there! Feeling like there is nothing that will lift us out and we feel trapped. We feel dirty. We feel embarrassed.

After David cried out to God, he waited! Maybe this was a situation in which David waited because he has seen God work in his life before. Maybe he knew God would show up and save him again. Maybe he felt he was beyond rescuing and so he waited to see how God would respond.

We don’t like to wait! But maybe in our waiting, we learn that God is going to show up! You may be in the period of waiting! Be patient! God will show up!! And He will rescue!

Be blessed in your waiting! Be a blessing to others along the way!