Waiting on the Lord
But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
When I was little, after reading The Secret Garden, my parents let me plant a garden in the back yard. My dad helped me till the earth and gently plant the seeds, nicely spaced. I watered my garden bed every day, waiting for the radishes to be ready. As soon as the tiny shoots came up from the ground, I excitedly ran to the garden and pulled them up. This impulsive act of impatience turned into a lesson about waiting.
We re-planted the traumatized radish seedlings and I promised to wait patiently until it was time to harvest them. My poor parents had to endure weeks of “is it time yet?” every day. Finally, it was time. I washed the dirt of the spicy globes and happily bit into one. It was quite the experience to know I had tended these plants and their yield to me was exactly what I had been waiting for.
We are in a time of waiting: waiting to gather again for worship, waiting to hug our friends and loved ones. What does it mean for you to wait on the Lord? To have your strength renewed and mount up on wings like eagles? To me, I think it means to find rest in the promises of God in scripture, especially in uncertain times. In God’s presence, we ask “is it time yet?” and God patiently hears us, joining us in the waiting.
Think of passages of scripture that have sustained you through a period of waiting, whether it was waiting on test results from a potential health issue, or waiting for a new job opportunity; waiting in hope for healing of yourself or a loved one. What hymns have lifted your spirits in an anxious time?
As we navigate this period of uncertainty, it’s easy to get bogged down and weary. In your weariest times, cling to these hymns and scriptures. Let them usher you into the presence of God that will sustain you as you wait.
Sara Robb-Scott, Pastor for Senior Adults and Pastoral Care, First Baptist Church of Decatur