Waiting, waiting

Linda Pollock March 12, 2023 1 1

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Psalm 40: 1-2 (NRSVA)

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.

There’s waiting and then there’s waiting — how do we wait and what or for Whom are we waiting?                                                                                                                                     

I think it’s fair to say that for many of us our waiting is more likely to be impatient than patient — or somewhere in between, and that’s in no small part a reflection of our culture, where speed is of the essence in most areas of our lives. It seems to me that there is a poverty of waiting in our lives today, and I am convinced that when we neglect to wait upon God, we miss out on celebrating our union with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.                                                                                   

Many of us are forced to slow down because of illness or disability, or perhaps we have been wise enough to develop the spiritual discipline of daily waiting upon God. The waiting begins as hard work, but the daily practice helps us clear our minds of the demands made upon us, helps us hold the space of heartache without it crushing us, reveals to us the Source of our joy, and enables us to stand upon the One Who can never be moved.                                                                         

It is in our waiting that our impoverished spirits become full and ripe, and we begin to know our true selves as beloved children of the living God.                                                                 

It is in our waiting that we discover God can be trusted with all aspects of our lives, including our death.                                                                                              

It is in our waiting that we glimpse our union with God, which empowers us to walk the road to Jerusalem with Christ Jesus.                                                                      

This Lent, I invite you to begin the spiritual discipline of intentional waiting for and with God. Stop for 10 minutes every day to be intentionally silent and offer a phrase to help you focus, for example: “The Lord is here His Spirit is in me.” Repeat it when you find your mind wandering and then refocus on waiting for and with God. Do this for a week and increase the 10 minutes to 15 then to 20 the following week, grow the time to where you are silent for a period that reveals to you His love, grace and peace, and anything else you believe you need to share in Christ’s poverty, which is of course, riches beyond measure.

PRAYER:

Holy God, I wait for You, I wait upon You, I receive You, and I follow You on Your path to the Cross. Thank You for waiting with me always. Amen.