I’m just being honest here…. Sometimes the waiting is really hard. And in general, I think I’m pretty good at waiting. Just give me a book, or better yet, my knitting and I can wait indefinitely. Well, maybe not indefinitely, but at least until I feel like I’m wasting time. Ha!
I mean…we pray like crazy. We send out newsletters. We travel all over the country, and make the most of every opportunity share about Bible translation. Hey, we even write a blog! <grin> But still we wait.
We wait for our house to sell. We wait for our financial partnership to reach 100% so we can leave for Papua New Guinea. We wait for those “cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:1) to become dollars in our “launching fund” account. But nothing seems to happen…and we wait. My sweater is growing, but I confess, I’m starting to get impatient and wonder if we’re wasting time and resources.
God has his ways of reminding us, however, that his ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8) We know God has a wise and loving purpose for keeping us here. And there is always work we can do for others—if only to love, serve and pray. We thank him for the opportunities he’s already brought our way. In the meantime, we will continue to trust in God’s perfect timing and wait.
The following hymn by Bradford Torrey says it better than I can.
Not so in haste my heart!
Have faith in God, and wait;
Although He linger long,
He never comes too late.
He never cometh late;
He knoweth what is best;
Vex not thyself in vain;
Until He cometh, rest.
Until He cometh, rest,
Nor grudge the hours that roll;
The feet that wait for God
Are soonest at the goal.
Are soonest at the goal
That is not gained with speed;
Then hold thee still, my heart,
For I shall wait His lead.
