I Want It NOW!

We were blessed this week to have Dr. Gemechis Buba preaching at the Thursday service and all Sunday services.  Dr. Buba’s message focused on the 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection.  His sermon title was:  “Go, but stay!”  I don’t know about you, but I’m a “go” person, not a “stay” person.  I like to go-go-go.  The faster I go, the more I think I accomplish.  As I reflected on this past week’s sermon, I realized that, for many of us and especially in our fast-paced culture, the idea of waiting is not only a foreign concept to many of us, but also something we find very, very uncomfortable. 

Dr. Buba challenged us to wait on the Lord and to be ready to go, but to wait, just like the disciples.  He encouraged us to spend time in deep prayer and to live in God’s Word.  Dr. Buba also shared a prophecy he received from God as he prayed and fasted before coming to Calvary.  That prophecy was that Calvary’s best days are ahead. 

Over the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on that and what that might mean for us as a congregation, but also as individuals.  As I turned to Scripture, I was drawn to many stories of people who faced uncertainty, just like we all do in our lives, and how God worked in unbelievable ways through them.  Look at Joseph.  After he was sold into slavery, I would bet that he didn’t think that his best days were ahead of him, nor did he know how God was going to use him. 

Today, I’m going to challenge all of us to look at our own lives and ask God for His direction.  Go, but wait!  What is God calling you to “go, but wait” for during Summer 2011?  For each of us, it will be different.  Share those on the blog.

When I was little, I remember one Christmas that I refused to wait to open my presents.  I decided to open them a few days before Christmas.  The gifts that I opened were not what I expected – a swimming suit, goggles, a snorkel and other beach toys.  I was so disappointed.  After all I wanted the Easy-bake Oven and the Barbie Beauty Center.  Where were they?  I was pretty mad at my mom and dad for not getting me the toys I had requested.  What I didn’t know was that on Christmas Eve, my parents were going to let me know that we were going on a trip to Florida in January. 

By opening those gifts early and not waiting, they appeared to be inappropriate gifts and gifts that were not wanted or asked for.  After I found out that we were going to Florida, my little mind quickly saw these as wonderful gifts!  If only I would have waited until Christmas Eve to open those gifts, then I would have realized what perfect gifts they really were.

When we go ahead of God, rather than waiting on Him for direction, we experience the same thing.  We wonder why things didn’t work out the way we had hoped.  Often times it is because we “do it alone” without discerning God’s will and we go-go-go.  However, we worship a God who has “just-in- time” delivery.  He’s never late, nor is He early.  He is always just in time.  So we need to be prepared, but we need to wait!  Go, but wait!

Here’s wonderful song from the movie "Fireproof" called “While I’m Waiting.” 

Pax,

Pastor Carol