Posted on May 9, 2021 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
Waiting In Faith
By Sarah Hahs
I’m not good at waiting. I’ve never been good at waiting. The phrase, “When God closes a door learn to praise him in the hallway,” for me has always looked like, “When God closes a door, kick harder.” If you’re wondering…it’s never worked. Not once. God’s timing has always prevailed.
In 2018 I spent the beginning of the year praying for what my new word of the year would be and I would pray and God would say “wait.” And I would say “Okay, wait. Got it. You want me to wait and you will give me the word later. Cool.” This went on for weeks. And then one day several weeks later, I prayed, “Okay hit me with it God, what’s my word.” And He said, “Wait” and I said, “Yeah, I got it, wait and you’ll give me the word.” And He said, “No, wait.” He was inviting me to focus on the word “wait” for the entire year.
Here’s what I learned. In my waiting is where I find my why. When I wait I am forced to get really clear on what God wants for me. I get to experience the “both-ness” that Brooke was speaking of today. The both-ness of the joy of God’s promise and the pain or frustration of not seeing it yet. This waiting allows me to continue the conversation with God. To right-size my expectations.
Brooke used one of my favorite verses today. Selfishly, it’s because it has my name in it, but also because it has become a great anchor in my waiting. "Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.” Genesis 21:1. I have used this verse on my mirror, in my car, as my wallpaper on my phone, anywhere I would see it frequently, because I desperately need the reminder that God’s goodness and faithfulness is coming. I’m still amazed that the creator of the universe wants to do anything for me, that I am loved beyond measure so much so that He is at work on His promises for me without me striving or doing anything for it.
I would encourage you to “embrace the stuckness” and get clear on the why of what you are waiting on. God is already at work on the how and the when. “The Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.” He always has, always. And His timing has been impeccable.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: What is something you are waiting for, or longing for? What might God be able to show you DURING the waiting? Turn your waiting into a prayer, inviting God into your heart’s desire or pain, and allowing him to right-size you. Pray the verrse as a prayer, with your name in place of Sarah’s, for the next week.
{prayer for the week}
Join us this week in a shared community-wide prayer.
God, meet us in this middle place. In this waiting place. Sit down with me, or walk with me as I share my longing and my waiting with you. What in me do you want me to take note of? Where do you want me to grow? Help me trust in your promises, and hold both the hard stuff of waiting and the truth of your promise. Amen.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: Abraham, sitting at the entrance of his tent, encounters three visitors. Genesis 18:2 ‘When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” But how did he know it was Jesus? Can you imagine if we had the same sense of urgency and intentionality throughout our day? If Jesus was so clearly evident in our simple comings and goings, as he was for Abraham, I would imagine our day might look a bit different and our agenda would follow as well. The reality is that He IS already there in our day, he does desire our attention and he can order our days…helping us to prioritize. Imagine starting today seeking Him with that same sense of urgency. How would your pace and priorities shift?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: Have you found yourself in a place where you have needed to speak up or advocate on someone else’s behalf? Can you imagine doing this directly with Jesus?! Abraham did just that. He saw the mess that Sodom & Gomorrah was in, yet he also had compassion for those who were righteous, yet found themselves among the wicked. I love Abraham’s boldness, and Jesus received his boldness with openness and understanding. He didn’t shut him down, yet entertained Abraham’s plea each time. Where do you find yourself in a tension of great delicacy, where you may be speaking up on behalf of another? Ask God to speak into that place in your life right now, prompting compassion and action where it might be needed, or patience and thoughtful consideration.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: What we have here is the making of a Netflix series. And one that my kids would not be allowed to watch. The days that the heaviness of what is happening in our world all around…the injustice, perversion, corruption and all things twisted makes me want to cling to all things known and comfortable. Sometimes the discomfort of seeing and having knowledge of it all can be incredibly weighty. It’s often easier to turn a blind eye, and surely it’s far more comfortable not to get involved. Or is it? If love is presence, then God calls us to be love to the broken mess that is our world. For all the emotions that can rise for us personally by engaging with the hard places, the hard people and the uncomfortable, time and time again we see beauty from ashes. A story of God’s redemption. What comes to mind as you read this? Where is God calling you to turn your attention and offer His hope where you are uniquely positioned to do so?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: The Lord gave Lot and his family every chance to escape the burning sulfur that was to rain down on the lands, but even after his wife was told not to look back, she did. Right then and there she turned into a pillar of salt. There is much symbolism seen in the Bible surrounding the use of salt. And several great verses that also include salt. It demonstrates permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification. For Lot’s wife and for Sodom and Gomorrah it demonstrated permanence. Read Matthew 5:13-16. What would your interpretation of that verse be? How can you carry that with you today?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: We pick up that same Netflix series, and another episode I would not let my kids watch. Often there are places in the Bible in which it causes you to pause, scratch your head, and practically attempt to translate ancient practices into modern times. What I can relate to is Lot’s daughter’s attempts to take their agenda into their own hands and will something to happen. My guess would be that this was not likely how God had envisioned their family-line manifesting, but much like us, Lot’s daughters were on their own timeline with their own game plan in mind. Their father was a means to an end. How often do we try to manipulate the outcome to our advantage? Where in your life do you come up against a place in which you’d hoped for a specific outcome, but there is no momentum, it’s stagnant and you are waiting. Offer that specific situation to God and ask Him to guide you in the path He has for you versus the one that may be more tempting to take.
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources).
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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