Enduring the Weight of Having to Wait

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Take ‘wait’ and ‘weight,’ for example. In one sense, however, it’s appropriate that they sound the same because having to wait when we’re in a hurry, or anxious, or impatient can feel like a great weight upon our shoulders. 

There are many places and times when we must endure the weight of waiting: grocery store checkout lines; slow traffic lights – or driving behind slow drivers; needing to mail an important package at the post office. Or realizing why we’re called ‘patients’ at a doctor's office, having to exercise patience – another homophone, by the way.

 

I still recall the waiting I had to endure on Christmas Eve as a boy. My sleepless night seemed unending. I wondered if the clock was running in reverse. I couldn’t wait until morning – but I had no choice.

 

One of the problems with waiting is it makes us feel we’re not in control. Which, in many cases, is true. But we live in a “can-do” culture, and waiting seems more like “I can’t do.” We’re all about taking action, doing what needs to be done. Frank Sinatra used to sing, “I Did It My Way.” Motivational speakers declare, “If you can conceive it and believe it, you can achieve it.” They never say, “Wait for it….”

 

Our nation was founded and developed by explorers, innovators and entrepreneurs who claimed they had, “pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps.” (Have you ever tried that? It’s not easy to do!) Self-realization and self-reliance are the mantra for many successful people. Waiting, on the other hand, isn’t a prerequisite. It’s not even encouraged.

 

However, when it comes to this daily journey we call the Christian life, waiting’s very much a part of the process. In fact, there are times when it feels as if God has placed us in His “waiting room,” our number is 95, and He’s only on number 6.

 

Through the years, Psalm 37 has been one of my favorite Bible passages. It’s been especially meaningful when praying and seeking the Lord’s guidance about making a major career change. I’d read the psalm and find comfort, reassurance, and a timely reminder – that He’s in charge and I’m not.

 

I was all about the first part of the psalm, which fits the “can-do” spirit we know so well. The third verse admonishes us to “Trust in the Lord and do good.” I’d read that and think, ‘Yeah, I can do that!’ Then verse 4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord.” I’d think, ‘I can do that, too!’ That’s followed up by one more directive in verse 5: “Commit yourself to the Lord.” Without hesitation I’d think, ‘Yep, I can do that, too! Now, can we move on with Your answer, Lord?’

 

Trust. Do good. Delight. Commit. All strong action verbs. No problem, right? If that’s what God wants me to do, let’s go!

 

But then I’d come to Psalm 37:7, which seems like jamming on the brakes while speeding down the highway. It instructs us to, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” What?! I’m good with all the stuff I’m told to be doing, but why do I have to wait?

 

This admonition isn’t a mistake or misprint. In fact, it’s repeated twice in the same psalm, just in case we missed it the first time. Verse 9 assures us, “But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” Then, verse 34 says: “Wait for the Lord and keep His way.”

 

To be clear, this doesn’t mean we’re to sit like a lump on the couch, passively waiting for something to happen. But it does mean recognizing that when we’ve done everything we know to do, we’ve run out of ideas and options, then it’s time to be patient, wait, and as we’re told in another of the psalms, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

 

Waiting is rarely easy, but it gives us the opportunity to trust in what the Lord is doing and, many times, to marvel at the incredible ways He works. When we “let go and let God,” as they say, we can experience Him doing, “exceeding abundantly more than anything we could ask or imagine,” as Ephesians 3:20 asserts. 

 

Once we’ve done our part, we can wait and release the weight to the Lord. Then we can see Him doing His part – often much more than we could have asked or even hoped for. He’s done this in my life more times than I could count – and with the benefit of hindsight, I’d not have it any other way.

‘Sovereignty’ Prevails in the Derby – and in Life

Did you watch Saturday’s Kentucky Derby? The outcome was intriguing, because Journalism was the odds-on favorite. But at the end, the betting favorite came second to a horse named Sovereignty. (A horse named Publisher finished 14^th, so it wasn’t a good day for the media.) 

 

But getting back to the winner, one dictionary I consulted defines sovereignty as “supreme power or authority.” At least for this first leg of the famed Triple Crown of horse racing, Sovereignty exerted supreme power or authority at the finish.

 

It also was interesting because in his immediate post-race interview, Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty’s jockey, made a point to express thanks to his Lord, Jesus Christ. In the Bible, sovereignty is one of the paramount attributes of God, ascribing to Him the “ultimate authority, power and control over all things, including creation, history, and the lives of individuals,” as an online source puts it.

 

I’m a big fan of giving credit where credit is due, whether it’s a team working together; a teacher or mentor helping to develop someone’s capabilities; a medical professional who has provided life-saving care, or parents who sacrificed to enable a child to succeed. And it’s especially heartening to see athletes acknowledge God for their talents and the opportunities they’ve had to compete on a big stage. 

 

We’ve seen a lot of this of late in a variety of sports, and it affirms the biblical admonition, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

 

Does this mean that God ordained that Sovereignty, and not Journalism or some other horse, would win the revered Derby? No. At least not necessarily. Because as theologians will note, while the Lord exerts the ultimate control over His creation, the Scriptures don’t declare that He orchestrates every single outcome. Man’s free will also plays a major role in outcomes, major and minor.

 

In the case of last weekend’s race, myriad details needed to be addressed leading up to it. The winning horse had to be purchased, meticulously trained and cared for, and prepped for such a racing spectacle. The right trainer had to be selected. Jockey Alvarado was an accomplished horseman, but he had to overcome significant health issues weeks earlier even to get in the saddle. 

 

We don’t know from the Scriptures whether God ever has a rooting interest in the outcomes of specific sporting competitions. Especially if there are followers of Jesus opposing one another. But we do know He delights when His people praise Him for enabling them to showcase their talents.

 

As King David wrote in 1 Chronicles 29:17, “Since I know, my God, that You put the heart to the test and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You.”

 

We also know that the Lord is not distant and indifferent to His people. In one of David’s psalms he declares, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them…. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145:18-21).

 

Loving and serving God does not always guarantee victory or other forms of worldly success. Partly because we often learn more from defeat than triumph. But we’re told in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Sometimes that even means being able to lift the championship trophy in Victory Circle.

God Wants to Give Us Our Heart’s Desires

How would you react to receiving an absolute guarantee that God wants to give you your heart’s desire? Who wouldn’t want that, right?

 

When you consider the idea that God truly wants to give you your heart’s desire, what pops into your mind? Some might want to immediately start compiling a personal wish list to offer up in prayer. Others, however, might think this post is about to venture into the realm of so-called “prosperity theology” or the “name-it-and-claim-it” mentality. 

We find it fairly common in our American consumer-oriented way of thinking to equate God’s blessings with material things. Stuff like cars, houses, vacations, other forms of affluence. But that view is more of a cultural perspective than a biblical one. 

 

Consider this: If theological interpretations are to be true and biblical, they should apply to people universally, regardless of their status or citizenry, don’t you think? Biblical truth must apply to “Third World” believers – folks living in Bangladesh, an impoverished village in India, the barrios of Mexico City or the favelas of Sao Paolo, Brazil – as well as people living in more materially rich “first world” nations. 

 

So, it’s hard to see how a declaration, “God wants you to be rich!” relates to a devoted Christ follower struggling day-to-day in an impoverished region. That doesn’t mean God can’t bestow material gifts on His people, because He can and often does. But if Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had “no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20), why should we think we’re above that? Why should we conclude that if being His follower defines us  “children of the King,” the Lord is obligated to bless us with fancy homes and lavish lifestyles?

 

Wait. Didn’t I start off by saying the Lord wants to give us the desires of our hearts? Yes, I did. And He does. How do we know this? Because Psalm 37:4 says so: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” But let’s hit the pause button for a moment. Before taking that promise “to the bank” so to speak, let’s look more deeply at the rest of the psalm.

 

Psalm 37, written by King David, also declares we’re to “Trust in the Lord and do good.” It says we’re to “Delight yourself in the Lord…. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him…” (verses 3-5). Those statements are equally important because Bible scholars know to properly understand a passage in the Scriptures, or even specific words, we can’t ignore the context in which they appear.

 

I like the way pastor and author Tony Evans expresses it in his book, Kingdom Man Devotional. He wrote, “If [God’s] words are abiding in you, His wishes will become your wishes, and He will ‘give you the desires of your heart’ (Psalm 37:4), because your desires will be His desires.”

 

This can work in a variety of ways. Suppose a Christ-centered physician has built a thriving practice and has been generous supporting charitable causes. But one day he senses God is calling him to give all that up. Instead, the doctor senses the Lord is leading him to become a medical missionary, dependent on the financial support of others. Suddenly, the “desire of his heart” has changed.

 

I’ve known of many highly successful business and professional people who before committing their lives to Christ were intent upon building impressive financial portfolios. After He became Lord of their lives, however, their focus shifted to giving away as much of their wealth as possible. Industrialist R.G. LeTourneau and inventor/entrepreneur Stanley Tam come immediately to mind. God gave them the “desire of their heart,” but very different from what it once was.

 

A number of couples I know have had the joy of adopting children, For some it was because of being unable to have biological children or their own; others wanted to add to their biological families through adoption. This wasn’t their original plan, but again, God gave them the desire of their hearts and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Early in my journalistic career, the plan was to climb the ranks and become a newspaper executive, wherever that would lead me and my family. But God had other ideas. He closed all doors except for one, a parachurch ministry called CBMC, through which He presented opportunities I couldn’t have imagined. He bountifully gave me the desires of my heart, even though I didn’t realize it at the time.

 

The list of examples could go on, but the point is clear: When God gives us the desires of our hearts, they aren’t shaped by our self-centered wants and wishes. He changes our hearts and prompts us to embrace what He wants for us because, as Romans 8:28 declares, “we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” How comforting is that?

Forget the Resolutions. Let’s Establish Some Goals

Just a couple weeks ago, sports fans all around the world were glued to their TVs with a single word in their minds. World Cup soccer matches were the rage on every continent, and the commentators sat on the edge of their seats waiting for the magic moment when the ball would spin past the goalie and they could scream with full lung capacity, “Gooooooooooooal!”

 

I must confess that I didn’t watch a minute of the much-hyped World Cup competition. If you’re a fan, go ahead, hate me. Unless I’m watching one of my grandkids play what we Americans know as soccer, I’ll take American football over the global game of “futbol” any day. I did hear that the championship game was kind of messy – or was that, Messi, as in Lionel? (I’m not totally ignorant of the sport.)

 

I do share one thing with what’s commonly referred to as “the beautiful game.” I, too, am a big fan of goals, except mine come with objectives and timelines to guide me along the way. This time of year, when many folks are talking about making resolutions – translation, “Well-intended sentiments that I know there’s probably no chance I’ll keep” – I choose to make goals.

What’s the difference? A resolution is something like, “I’ll quit eating junk food,” or “I’ll never drive over the speed limit again,” or “I’m resolved to work out at least four times a week next year.” Great intentions. Noble thoughts. But by the end of the first month, if not sooner, those resolutions most likely will be shattered like a fine crystal glass meeting a hammer.

 

Goals, on the other hand, are targets we can work toward over time. They are quantifiable, measurable, and attainable. Goals serve as the answer to questions like, “Where am I going?” “How am I going to get there?” and “How will I know when I’ve arrived?” They can help to ensure we’re making the proper use of our time, talents and resources.

 

I’ve found it helpful to make categories for goals, including physical, mental, spiritual, social, vocational, financial, and avocational (hobbies). Some of my past goals have been: going to the fitness center three times a week; losing 15 pounds by mid-year; reading 20 books, including the Bible, over the course of one year; paying off a credit card balance within a certain period; having a weekly date night with my wife; memorizing a new Bible verse each week; and starting to take drum lessons.

 

Resolving to become a better husband certainly seems like a good idea, but how will I know if I’ve accomplished that? Setting a goal – or goals – to guide me in that direction is a better approach.

 

As I read the Scriptures, I find a number of worthwhile goals to strive toward, such as, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). But how do we achieve that? We can establish some reasonable goals to help us go beyond just high-minded intentions. For some, this might be as simple as getting a job and sticking with it. Maybe even finding an accountability partner or two to remind us to follow through on goals we have set.

 

My life verse, adapted from the Amplified Bible’s translation of Philippians 3:10, states, “My determined purpose is that I may know Him (the Lord), that I may progressively become more intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly.” But how do I do that? 

 

I can set goals to spend a certain amount of time each day reading and meditating on the Scriptures, along with time for prayer; participating in Bible studies and discussions with like-minded believers; attending worship services regularly; and talking with others about my faith, not only evangelistically but also in discipling or mentoring relationships. As one translation of Philemon 6 states, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” If we desire for God to entrust us with more spiritual riches, we should be faithful to use what He’s already given to us.

 

How can we know that the Lord approves of the goals we set? The Scriptures tell us this starts with ensuring our hearts are right toward Him. Psalm 37:4 declares, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” If our motives flow from our love for God, He’ll impress upon us what our desires should be.

 

Jesus referred to this in His “sermon on the mount.” Speaking to the assembled multitude, He said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:21,33).

Hope this is helpful. Now, it’s time to start establishing my own goals for the new year. 

Reassurance for a Time When We Need It Most

Whenever I hear people assess the Bible as being ancient, archaic, outdated, irrelevant, or any of the numerous other negative terms used, I shake my head in amazement. Because in studying the Scriptures, I realize with wonder how contemporary and down to earth its truths are.

With unvarnished candor, the Bible exposes the common flaws of humanity. Its stories recount murders, adultery, lying, stealing and every type of malice we can imagine. The destructive emotions of lust, envy, deceit, jealousy, hatred and greed are found on full display. Despite modern-day advances in technology, communications and various forms of scientific discovery, little has changed. By nature, we’re not much different than people were thousands of years ago.

But what sets the Scriptures apart from the holy books of every other religion is its overarching message of hope, mercy, grace and love extended from God to His creation. In troubled, divisive times such as we’re in today, we desperately need assurances that no matter how bad things seem to be – or how much worse they threaten to get – God is still present, sovereign, and ultimately His good will prevail.

I was reminded of this while reading my favorite psalm, Psalm 37. As we peruse the newspaper, watch the day’s news or spend more than a few minutes on social media, we can easily conclude Chicken Little was right – the sky is falling. But the opening verses of this great psalm declare that even though the world may seem upside-down and out of control, God guarantees, “Do not fear. I’ve got this!” Here’s the passage:

“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath, do not fret – it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land” (Psalm 37:1-9).

The rest of this psalm’s 40 verses are just as powerful and reassuring. Originally written by King David under God’s inspiration during a time of great opposition, it would not be a stretch to believe the crises are just as dire in our times today. Every word of this passage is infused with hope and confidence in God’s great compassion, love and mercy for His people.

There’s much we could say about each of these verses. They are worthy of much meditation and reflection. But I think it suffices to sum them up with words of assurance and promise that appear later in the psalm: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread…. Wait for the Lord and keep his way” (Psalm 37:25-26,34).

We can rest assured that no, the sky’s not falling. And even if it does, it’s all part of God’s plan.

Finding Love…By Getting Lost

As another Valentine’s Day approaches, and many of us reflect either on the love we have or the love we desire, I think of an intriguing statement a young woman made about how to find that right person. She said, “A girl should be so lost in the Lord that a guy has to seek Him to find her.”

Today, as has always been the case, people look for the love of their life in a variety of places: In class, if you’re a student, at work, the gym or other athletic activities, in bars, the supermarket; and increasingly, online. Searching, searching, desperately hoping and expecting Mr. or Ms. Right to suddenly pop up out of nowhere.

It's time again to consider
the "affairs of the heart."

But could it be that most people are, to borrow from the Johnny Lee tune featured in the film, “Urban Cowboy,” are “looking for love in all the wrong places”? Perhaps, as the young woman suggested, we all would be well-advised to get “lost” so we can be found?

I didn’t hear how she elaborated on her meaning, but suspect she meant that as we grow more deeply committed to – and in love with – God, men as well as women, He will bring us together with the person best suited for us, one who shares the same beliefs, convictions and motivations. Someone whose life is grounded in the person of Jesus Christ, who enables us to love beyond anything we could imagine.

Most of us are familiar with the biblical declaration, “God is love” (1 John 3:16), but it’s important to understand this within its context: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” This says to experience true love – not the superficial forms of love we see depicted in the entertainment media that are either sappy and sentimental, or solely sensual – it must be drawn from the Lord, the author and source of love.

Psalm 37:4 offers the assurance, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” In Jeremiah 33:3 we’re told, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” And Ephesians 3:20 declares that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

All these tell me that if we’re sincerely seeking love, not the counterfeit we often see portrayed, we’ve got to look to God first. Otherwise we’re indeed looking for love in all the wrong places. This applies to the individual still looking for that right person, because ultimately that right person is the Lord Himself. But it also applies to people caught in a difficult or loveless marriage, as well as those who would consider themselves happily married, but yearning for an ever deeper, more fulfilling love with their mate.

My wife and I are closing in on our 44^th anniversary, and the path hasn’t always been smooth. Lots of bumps have impeded our progress at times. But I can say without question the love we have today far surpasses what we had during those early, euphoric days of “being in love.” The love we have for each other truly is, as Ephesians 3:20 states, immeasurably more that all I could have asked or imagined.

Delighting ourselves in the Lord has in no way diminished our love for one another. It’s deepened and enhanced it, in ways we could never have dreamed.

So, on Valentine’s Day, if you know you’ve succeeded in finding the love of your life, congratulations. But don’t take it for granted – keep working at it to make it even stronger. If you’re still looking, make certain you’re not looking in all the wrong places. As the young woman proposed, get so lost in the Lord so that he (or she) must seek Him to find you.

After all, as the Scriptures tell us, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:9).

Beware the ‘Monster of More’

We’ve arrived in December, which means it’s officially “the season to be merry” – even though some retailers would want us to believe it arrived around the end of August. For many of them, it’s also “the season for wanting more,” so the sooner the better.

Toys have become virtually synonymous
with Christmas.

Living in a consumer society, it’s our annual opportunity to exercise our skills at conspicuous consumption. Shoppers, some proudly wearing scars from their annual Black Friday pilgrimages, will invest many hours over the next few weeks keeping cash registers humming and warming the hearts of merchandisers. Some will spend money they don’t have to buy things they don’t need for people they don’t like. All in the spirit of displaying “good will.”

It’s a cautionary time when we should beware of greed – AKA “the Monster of More,” as preacher Bill Hybels calls it.

We all wrestle with it. It’s nice to get new clothes, whether you’re very fashionable or just get tired of the old duds. Or books, if you’re among those who still appreciate bound volumes made of actual paper and real ink. Or the latest electronic gizmos. There’s no shortage of those, and there’s always a newer version of what you already have. Or toys for all ages. They too seem unlimited in supply.

When I was a boy, I loved paging through the annual Sears & Roebuck “Wish Book,” conjuring fantasies of what treasures I might find gaily wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning. We learn about greed at a very early age.

So, it’s time to ask the tough questions: Ones like, “How much is enough?” Or, “How much is too much?”

There are no simple, precise answers to those questions. Especially since we’ve become conditioned for blurring the lines between needs and wants. However, the Scriptures say much about how we can overcome the “Monster of More.” Here’s a sampling:

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Contrary to what “prosperity theology” might teach, this doesn’t mean God promises to provide whatever we want. Instead, it gives the assurance that if we find delight in the Lord and make Him preeminent in our lives, He will be the determiner of what we desire.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Similarly, Jesus taught that when God is given top priority in our lives, we can be assured He will provide for all our needs. We may still have “wants,” but not any real needs.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:11-12). In our materialistic society, contentment is not a virtue that is widely encouraged. The “Monster of More,” we’re told, is our friend – a motivator for striving to earn and acquire more. In God’s economy, however, contentment is highly prized, as the apostle Paul wrote.

How can we cultivate contentment when everything around us argues that we need more and more? The apostle presented the secret in the next verse: “I can do through [Christ] who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), including being content with our present circumstances.

Finally, there’s the old stand-by, Christ’s exhortation that is often uttered as a cliché, but holds true just the same: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). By striving for excellence in the art of giving, we shift our focus off ourselves and onto others. At the same time, we discover that through giving, we will receive more than we could ever have imagined.

So, this year let’s try to cut the “Monster of More” down to size! If we succeed, we might even be able to nickname him "Less."