Theology of Waiting

I am not in control. You are not in control. When you look around, sometimes it seems nobody is in control. One way this shows itself is the inevitable truth that a lot of our life seems to be spent waiting. Waiting. Have you ever given this a passing thought – I mean more than just how annoying it is to wait on anything.

Here are just a few things I have observed in regards to waiting in recent days.
– I waited on the next shift to get to work so I can go home – for my shift to end. The clock just drags that last hour.
– Calvin and I waited for the Apple Event to see if there would be any new tech in the MacBook area. He was waiting before he bought his Air, to make sure a new one would not replace it in one week. And I was waiting for the day I would get my MacBook Pro back.
– I wait for my tax return.
– I lie in bed and wait for sleep to arrive.
– I saw FaceBook posts about people upset due to waiting in line at Disney World! Isn’t it the happiest place in the world? So shouldn’t waiting be part of the joy?
– I saw posts about waiting on job offers, babies to be born, vacations to start, and reports from the doctor.
– We wait on on computer and stare at that ‘loading’ icon.
– I wait in traffic, at Blue Goose for my tacos, at church for worship to start, at home for Lisa to get off work (and she waits for me to come home in the morning – for I always bring her coffee!), and so on.
– You may wait eagerly for each new day’s blog so you can see what I am going to say today. And thank you so much oh 30 great readers!

Enough!!! And these were without thinking hard. So I ponder, is there a theology in waiting. I am going to look at one aspect. Hebrews 9:28 says “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (ESV) We are to be eagerly waiting for Him.

I think this talks about a principle of our posture while we wait. Our posture – we can be waiting with one of two postures. We can be passively waiting (We are not in control, so I will sit back and just roll with it, not do anything while I wait.). Or we can be actively waiting. The word accompanying waiting is eagerly. It is a three part compound that talks about welcoming from and out of – a kind of staying busy with expectation for that time when He comes to set all things anew. An at the edge of your seat, getting all things ready, totally stoked and waiting is filled with excitement type of moment.

In the movie Fireproof, Kirk Cameron works hard to get his wife back and to restore the relationship. He does not sit back, he is not passive, but is actively working to that end. John Waller’s song ‘While I’m Waiting’ powerfully tugs on our emotions and emphasizes this with the lyrics …

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I do not want to waste time while I wait. I will serve, worship, and run the race. I will take this time to become better, to help others around me, and keep my eyes on Him. For I do believe someone is in control – and it is not me – it is Him. The theology of waiting is believing in the Sovereignty of God – HE IS IN CONTROL.

So – waiting. We all have to do it. Will you join me in serving, worshiping, and actively run the race while we wait? And remember, they that wait on the Lord shall renew their their strength, they shall mount up with with wings of eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Wait with me – and let’s serve Him together.

Extra Sep: website for muse video of Waller’s song … https://vimeo.com/3768562