The Wait
Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
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Emmett closes out this week's theme, "Waiting for
the Master." It was worth the wait!
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COLUMN: Understanding the Times
The Wait
by Emmett Smith
"Hurry up and wait." That old cliché is
undoubtedly familiar to anyone who served in the
armed forces. Although I didn't serve, I've heard
that phrase all my life, and it has been validated
by many who did serve.
Most of us seem to have a problem with waiting. We
resent having to wait to see our physician, having
to wait to renew our driver's license, etc. Our
time is valuable! How dare he or she or they make
us wait!
If we think about it a bit, however, "our" time is
really the Lord's time. It is He who has
determined not only when and how long we shall
live, but also the boundaries and "allotted
periods" of the nations themselves (Acts 17:26).
No one, individual or nation, exists on any time
but the Lord's. We need to remember those facts
when we get impatient. Does the apparent progress
of the abortionists and fornication advocates and
various other groups and individuals who oppose
righteousness get you down? Remind yourself that
He is in control.
Isaiah told Judah and Israel that "the Lord waits
to be gracious to you" and, "blessed are all those
who wait for him" (Isaiah 30:18). It must have
been difficult for the righteous remnant to wait
for the Lord's good time. But, undoubtedly, those
who did were blessed, and more importantly they
were blessings to others as they patiently carried
out the Lord's will. To those who had obviously
given up waiting on the Lord Isaiah cried,
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The
LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of
the ends of the earth. He does not faint or
grow weary; his understanding is
unsearchable. He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases
strength. Even youths shall faint and be
weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew
their strength; they shall mount up with
wings like eagles; they shall run and not be
weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah
40:28-31).
Peter assures us that, "the longsuffering of our
Lord is salvation" (2 Peter 3:15). He warns of the
scoffers who will deliberately overlook God's
control and will try to entrap others as they ask,
"where is the promise of his coming?" (2 Peter
3:4). They'll remind you that He hasn't returned
as He promised. They'll try to shipwreck your
faith. But Peter has also reminded us that just as
the Lord rescued Lot from Sodom and Gomorra, He,
"knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to
keep the unrighteous under punishment until the
day of judgment" (2 Peter 2:9).
It's worth the wait!
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