“HE’S TOUCHING ME!”
“SHE LOOKED AT ME FUNNY FIRST! ”
The ear- piercing, mountain- moving shouts came from the back of our uber cool full sized passenger van. This was my first road trip by myself with all four of my kids. I had just begun homeschooling all 4 of my kids and I had the brilliant idea of going on a “field trip” to the ocean. Mind you this field trip was supposed to be a short 5½-hour drive from our desert home in the Phoenix, AZ area to my parents home in seaside San Diego, Ca.
I had done this drive hundreds of times and my children had been with me many of those times, but this time was my first time by myself. I found myself uttering words and phrases that I thought I never would.
“If you two don’t stop I will pull over and leave you on the side of the road “ or “I will turn this car around and none of you will see the ocean or Sea World for that matter”
Now of course they all knew I was bluffing so it did little to slow the bickering down. Then it really started and this was far worse than the bickering. It started with my then 4 year old, in a shrill whine “Are we there yet? “
“No we are not there yet.” I replied in what I attempted to be my “patient mom” voice. However by what I am sure was the 1 millionth time of being asked “are we there yet?” the “patient mom” voice sounded more like my “demon possessed mom” voice.
“No we are not there yet and if you ask one more time my head will explode and my brains will gush out all over you.”
Have you ever found yourself asking that question? “God are we there yet?” I know I have, probably as many times as my inquisitive preschooler on that trip. The thing I am so grateful for is that my God is ever patient and never uses any kind of “ mom voice” His voice is always loving, if not encouragingly firm.
I have found myself in what feels like a continual season of waiting. “Waiting to be there.” It feels as if I never will arrive and I am in a constant state of waiting. But I have come into a new revelation just this past week. I know some of you are much quicker studies than I am. I have come to realize that waiting is part of my growth and waiting is the biggest part of the journey.
I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with GOD! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with GOD. Psalm 27:13 MSG ( Emphasis mine)
Or another translation says “Wait” on God. The word wait or stay is qavah in Hebrew. The meaning is to be entwined together like a rope, which is made by twisting together two or three strands. This new discovery piqued my interest, I could not help but be curious and look to see if the well known verse in Isaiah was the same word.
Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.”
YES it is the same word, qavah, meaning to be completely entwined with the Lord and as a result he will be your strength. He is our strength. Waiting is not a temporary thing. It is not as if once our waiting is done, we can move on to the next thing. We must “remain” in the waiting in order to access His strength. In other words DON’T QUIT WAITING.
Lately it has been tempting to quit. I will admit I have even written my resignation letter (at least I did in my head) I quit being a mom, I quit being a wife, I quit being a_____Fill in the blank. I wanted to quit due to my inability to see an end in sight, but I am realizing the older I get there is only one end in sight and I am not ready for that just yet. I do desire to see the goodness of God in the land of the living Ps 27:13.
My Savior and my friend want me to be so entwined in him I do not know where I end and He begins. My relationship with him is one where my heart, soul, and mind are being interwoven with his Heart for me. The place of intimacy in which we are so close I hear his heartbeat for me, and His breath is felt on my heart. My thoughts line up with His thoughts about me.
“Here is what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave, courageous, and never lose hope. Yes keep on waiting –for He will never disappoint you!” Psalm 27:14 Passion Translation.
So the waiting is my place of instruction and growth and I am learning;
1. When worried don’t give up!
2. Always be entwined in His love for you
3. It takes bravery but He is your courage and it might mean doing it afraid.
4. Trust Him, He will NEVER disappoint you.
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