Hello, my friends. It’s been a long time, I know. You have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to hop on to say hello – to tell you that I’m thinking of you – to see how YOU are. This blog has become a personal place for me. It’s become about the faces behind the computer screens. It’s about community. It’s about knowing Jesus more because we see Him in each other. It’s about cheering each other on as we dig in the Word and work out our faith. There I go – getting carried away again. See! The blog title is true.
Anyways …
My load has been very full since school began – not the “I can’t be nice to my family” kind of full, but full enough that something had to give. Last week my time was consumed with preparing for a mini-conference at our church. This week I’m trying to find the bottom of the house. It has been neglected for far too long.
I was cleaning the kitchen this morning, scraping dried up mac and cheese goo off the kitchen table with my finger nail (yep. I said it), when God reminded me of something. And because I would rather do anything other than clean my floors, I decided to share this story with you.
One day while I was scrubbing down the kitchen table, my oldest asked, “Hey mom. Who’s coming over?”
“No one. Why?” I asked.
She replied (rather matter-of-factly), “Because you only clean the kitchen table when people are coming over.”
What???
“Baby. I clean this kitchen table every single day.”
“Well, I never see you do it … except for when people are coming over.”
Have mercy, child!
“Well, just because you don’t see me do it, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. I do lots of things while you’re not watching.”
This is the story I was reminded of today as I cleaned {even though no one is coming over. But you should come over. My house is clean-ish right now. Well, except for the floors.} I smiled thinking about it, and I think God smiled too. Like only He can, He took advantage of this teachable moment.
He reminded me that many times I assume the same as my daughter. I don’t always see God working, so I assume that He isn’t. Like right now … in this season of wait. I wonder where God is. I wonder why He’s not working.
Until He reminds me that He always is. God is always at work – whether we see Him doing it or not.
Last night at Bible study, a friend stretched my way of thinking about waiting. She told us that there is a big difference between waiting for God and waiting on God.
Waiting for means, “to remain inactive until something expected happens, to postpone or delay something.” So, according to this definition, waiting for God could look like stopping right where you are and taking a seat. It suggests a sense of checking out. I’ve participated in this type of waiting before. “Come on, God. I’m waiting … “
Waiting on means, “to remain in readiness for, to serve, minister to.” According to this definition, when we are waiting on God, we are actively attentive to the Lord as we wait. We are intimately close, poised and ready to see God at work. But we’re not in a huff about it. Instead, we patiently enjoy His presence in the process. Imagine that!
Waiting on the Lord speaks of faith in that fact that God is always working, whether we see Him moving or not.
It’s not just difference in words. It’s a difference in heart.
How are you doing in the area of waiting?
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14
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