Waiting

Waiting is hard. We wait for spring to thaw the winter's coldness. We wait to be admitted to the doctor's office. We wait for test results. We wait for a house to sell. We wait for our children to commit their lives to Jesus. We wait for things to get better. We wait for death. We wait for our Lord to return. If one has waited for a very long time, he/she begins to wonder if what they wait for will ever happen. In this waiting a burning love may grow cold. Impatience may cause us to get up and walk away. Disgust may create resentment or deep seeded anger or even an anesthetizing apathy.

Today, my readings in the Book of Common Prayer were all about waiting. Senior adults are apt to have the same response as the people of Israel had. "All these visions, and nothing has happened." All these promises and the world just seems to be getting more violent and sinful. We are tempted to give up, to lose our first love, to stop hoping, to stop praying. Why bother? Nothing happens. Over and over in scripture we are reminded not to give up but to endure. Not half-hearted but fully, hopefully, joyfully. Ezekiel tell the people of Israel, These are the words of the Lord, "The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. . . I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. . . I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord. . . None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled. (Ezekiel 12:21-28)" In Matthew 24:12, Jesus says "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." And he concludes "They [You] will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his anglels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

We are getting old. We have endured a lot. We are tired of waiting, and waiting. . . and waiting. But let us not give up. Let us love our Lord passionately. Let us endure believing the word of the Lord will be fulfilled.