Sunday, November 15, 2009

a light to my path

We've been playing the waiting game around here lately. In a few situations. Just waiting for answers, and if not answers then at the very least a nudge in the right direction. And unfortunately, I am ridiculously human as I try to lean on the Spirit that is within me, so I have had some quite impatient moments. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the daily stuff that I fail to see the important stuff. When I finally take the time, or more often when one of my great friends or my amazing husband make me stop and listen to their Words, I can see it clearer. Oh, He has been paying attention. He is working it all out. Oh, maybe that is our answer, or our little nudge. In His great wisdom, He doesn't make things especially easy for me. This forces me to cling to Him. Call to Him. Wait on Him. I know I write often about waiting on God. I'm sure I always will because even if I ran out of things to wait on Him for, I'd still be waiting for Him.

Since March, my friend Allison and I have been working on memory verses along with many "Siestas" on Beth Moore's blog. Twice monthly we enter a new verse we intend to commit to memory. Before I even got to it today, Allison emailed me just knowing I'd love the verse Beth chose for this time. And love it I do. So it is my #22. I'll just let Beth do the talking for a moment:

I've been thinking here recently how wise our God is. He is far too onto us and our severe cases of Spiritual ADD to often give us a sense of what is going to happen in a particular situation. He knows good and well that, if He'd just tell us how a temporal challenge is going to turn out, we'll take that answer, thank Him so much, and go on with living and give a rare nod His direction. He wants us to desire His attentiveness more than His answer.

Scripture describes God's Word like a lamp to our feet. In other words, God normally - and wisely - shines just enough clear light to help us take the very next step when it's time. Imagine how far you could hold a lamp out in front of you as you walk a dim path in the forest. That's what you're promised as the most normal experience in your believing journey. Don't get me wrong. He tells us volumes about how things will ultimately turn out but, much of the time in our temporal challenges, He simply asks us to trust Him and let Him sustain us and lead us one day at a time. "Give us this day our daily bread."

I love Proverbs 8:34 because it describes the blessed person who has her ear pressed against the door of Heaven. The blessed person who watches daily at His gates. She is the woman who will hear, not only direction for the next step when the time comes but, priceless treasures, promises and truths of all sorts because she's not so distracted with her own answer that she misses the marvels of other revelations.

God is so wise.

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my door." Proverbs 8:34 NAS


I just love it. I know deep inside that the hardest times of my life so far have been when He especially pours Himself out over me. I am thankful, even for the waiting we are currently involved in. In one situation He is working to humble us and have us depend on Him alone. In another He is working to mature us in our faith and His Word. And in another He is leading us by putting something on our hearts as we seek His will. While we feel his nudging, we wait for the full reveal. Instead of being impatient, I just want to revel in His love. That's hard for me, but I want to try. And as I try He will speak over me "priceless treasures, promises and truths of all sorts." I wouldn't miss that for anything.