Waiting

Psalm 40  I waited patiently for the Lord....

In our culture waiting is despised.  We are certainly a society of little patience.  From tapping our foot at the microwave, to urging our computers to download information faster and buying the latest model of any given gadget because of its promised increased speed and capacity.

We see waiting as a moment of non-productivity in our fast paced self induced scurry lives.  We consider waiting to be something to endure, escape or overcome.

'Waited patiently' in Psalm 40 comes from the Hebrew word qwh which can also be translated as "expect" a goal oriented word. And translated as such sheds a more appealing light on the phrase:  I expected in anticipation for the Lord.

God wouldn't have us in a season of waiting without a purpose.  He is the grand orchestrator of life!  I gather He is capable of making the world move seamlessly without pause or hesitation.  So why do we experience pauses?  What is the purpose of waiting?

A pause in music or theatre is usually for effect.  It precedes a crescendo, a great revelation or some other event the author wants us to appreciate.  Should we experience one, I would have to conclude that there is something awesome about to be birthed. 

Like a lone firework that ascends into a clear summer's night sky, it seems to climb in slow motion.  You try to keep it in sight, but in a blink you lose track of it.  Or perhaps you are even distracted by the surrounding glorious explosions of light. 

Then suddenly you are surprised and awestruck by the sudden beauty that blossoms across the sky, its echo shaking the ground, and in that moment you remember...that's right, I was waiting, expecting, anticipating.....and it was worth it.

Embrace your waiting, expect in anticipation from the Lord, and brace yourself.  He has something great in the works.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.  Psalm 130