Tag Archives: Waiting for God

Advent – waiting in obedience; seeking God’s will

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The angel of the Lord came to Mary and spoke the prophecy to her. She would give birth to the savior of the world. “Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38

There is much that confounds me about Luke’s accounting of the prophecy of Jesus’s conception and birth. The angel appears to Mary and she doesn’t freak out. She accepts that it is the angel of the lord. He says she will give birth even though she remains a virgin. She asks about this but readily accepts the incredulous explanation. And she responds with such faith, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

I completely believe this account and yet still find Mary’s faith so remarkable and such an every-day reality. I find it likely you and I might have been taken more off guard and perhaps with more to say about the events that were to pass. I mean, an angel of the lord comes to your door. What is YOUR reaction?

As we discussed before, God looks for “FAT” followers, that is, those who are Faithful, Available, and Teachable. Especially in this advent season let us find ourselves actively seeking God’s presence throughout each day, faithfully waiting for the revelation of his plan for us, and in obedience to his call. Let’s have the attitude of “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

“You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

A lamp to your feet and light to your path

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I’ve been meditating on Ps 119:105. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” It seems that sometimes God only gives us a lamp for the step we are currently on right now. He wants our footing to be secure so we can stand firm (Eph 6:10) and not stumble. Sometimes our current standing seems more like sitting on a bench. What he has spoken to us in this ‘bench’ season is that we should sit on the bench in obedience and not strive to get back in the game until he calls us. But it is more than that. Because, at least in our case, we are confident that God is actively at work preparing our next steps, he also desires to use this time to prepare our hearts as he draws us closer to him. Like the 14 years between David’s anointing and his crowning and the same period of time between Paul’s conversion and his first missionary journey, it is not a time of twiddling thumbs, but of actively seeking God, enjoying him fully, growing in him, and serving him where we are.

Do you trust that God will also reveal his light upon your path, that you may more clearly see not just your current step but also the near path before you? Be faithful in listening for his voice so, like Samuel, you can quickly respond, “Here I am Lord. Speak for your servant is listening.”

Find blessings as you continue to draw near to such a loving God whose mercies never fail, whose compassions are new every morning. Draw close so he can guide and direct you.

Answers Soon – Fully Persuaded

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You know what it is like to wait and wait and then finally get close to an answer? That is what it has been like waiting for my blood counts to raise to the point I could get my third bone marrow aspiration. Technically, they didn’t get to where they should, but my doctor is as frustrated as anyone with my slow progress, so he ran the bone marrow aspiration yesterday anyway. The results will tell us how much of the cancer got knocked down by the second round of chemo. He says I will likely go home whether the test results are better or still the same…it is time to get on to the next phase of treatment. That will begin with a consultation at Iowa City hospitals regarding my ‘unusual’ chromosomal situation and the recommendation for a stem cell transplant. There will be more chemo while I wait. We have enjoyed the relationships God has formed here and expect some of them will continue. But after 56 days in the hospital, it seems it may be time to move on.

The funny thing about waiting for anything is realizing that God already knows the answer! We are all waiting and pursuing something. Probably you are waiting for something right now. What are you waiting for? To find out who you will marry? Whether your baby will be a boy or a girl? What job will you find? Will you ever find peace and power for living a victorious life in the face of adversity? God knows the answers to all these things that we are waiting to discover!

The life-changing question is, “What do I believe that brings me real and lasting peace while I wait?” Amongst whatever uncertainties there may be, whatever questions I might have, what am I CONVINCED about?

With numerous questions still on our minds, Marcia and I remain fully persuaded that God is able to do what He has promised. We have entrusted our present and eternal lives to Jesus. Even though storms remain and we wonder how long they will last and what effects they will have, it is His Spirit who gives us both power and peace in the midst of every storm. We are already content with what He will answer, even though the path may be unclear.

We pray that you experience that same peace and power for living well…now and eternally. It comes as a free and loving gift of grace from Jesus.

“I know whom I have believed, and am CONVINCED that he is able to guard what I have ENTRUSTED to him until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12b