Waiting–It’s No Game
Recently, in the news, we have heard the reports from the San Jose Mine in Chile concerning the cave-in at the mine. It was good to hear that the 33 miners who are trapped in that mine are safe. However, they face a daunting wait, while work is being done to secure their rescue, and they may be underground until Christmas time. What a long time to wait! I read, with interest, some of the practical things being done to help these men do as well as possible, under these very trying circumstances. For one thing, NASA workers are coming next week to give special advice. They work with astronauts, who may have to be isolated for long periods of time on lengthy space voyages. How helpful this could be as these men face these weeks together in a confined area, away from loved ones. In addition to this, practical helps are being sent down to the men. They have been given their first solid food, cereal bars, and empanadas are being prepared for their sustenance. They are also being kept informed concerning news of the world, including soccer scores, and even are able to send and receive notes from those who love them,. They are being advised on keeping a normal day/night schedule and they will receive an exercise program to help them keep as fit as possible. These ideas, and others, hopefully will help these miners come through this long ordeal successfully!
In Jeremiah 29, we see that the Lord was concerned for His people who found themselves undergoing not a wait of months, but one that would last for 70 years. The wonderful thing about His love for them is that even though the difficult circumstances in which they were living were due to their sin, the Lord desired that their time of waiting to return to their land would be a time of blessing for them:
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:4-11
We too, often find ourselves in “waiting times”, and the gracious directions the Lord gave His people in exile, so many years ago, can also help us walk successfully in these times. First, isn’t it encouraging that the Lord knows the parameters of the wait–he knows when it began and He knows when He will bring us out of it. If you are like me, sometimes, you would like to know the final day of the waiting. The people of Jeremiah’s time, for example, were told that they would be in Babylon for 70 years, but many times although we may know the very day on which our time of waiting began, its final day is not given to us. I am thankful, however, to know that the One who watched as the wait began has the power to bring it to an end, at the time He chooses. That timing is not left to chance or fate. I’m also thankful that the Bible tells us that the Lord understands and knows waiting for relief is not a light thing for us, even though He allows it:
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing. Luke 13:10-17
There are Sabbath issues in this passage that are being taught by Jesus, but I love the little word “long” that is tucked into verse 16, reminding us that Jesus knew that these 18 years of infirmity for this lady had been long years! The One who created time, and Who will someday make all things new, still understands that the times we walk through on this earth may be long and painful. Second, God tells His people to go about ordinary life. They should do the good things the Lord gives them for their enjoyment, such as marrying, planting, building and living. Keeping and enjoying, as much as possible, a routine during waiting times is comforting. Although our hearts might long for the wait to be finished, the Lord can bring His joy into the every-day routines, lessening the difficulty of the wait. Third, the people were commanded to pray for the place into which the Lord had brought them. What a challenge to pray for those who were the enemies, and yet, the Lord said in doing so, blessings would come to them too.
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
When we look around during a waiting time, who in our lives can we bless through prayer? Whose welfare can we seek? Last of all, the people are told to not listen to false reports. Some were telling them”what they wanted to hear”, but not what the Lord said was true. So often during a difficult wait, the Evil One will whisper lies concerning the Lord’s love for us, or a way to “get out” of the wait that would be contrary to the Lord’s Word. Our Heavenly Father says to us, at those times, not to believe those words, but rather to keep on bringing our thinking into line with His truth, that He loves us, knows us and has a plan in the wait, Jeremiah 29:11 and:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Lord, thank You that You know it is often hard to wait. Help us to be faithful, each day, to do the things that you call us to do.
