We heard a great sermon on the topic of waiting this morning. If you are familiar with the Bible, you would expect the speaker to refer, as he did, to Abraham, Moses, and the people of Israel who waited 400 years before God through Moses released them from slavery.
I've just been reading about these folks in my daily Bible reading. However what struck me today was a brief reference not to waiting but to the opposite. Now I admit there have been too many times when I have taken action too quickly. I should have waited and I should have prayed more. I have slowly learned to wait more patiently on God's timing and to pray longer for His direction.
Yet it is possible, as in so many aspects of the Christian life (or life in general) to err on either side of an equation. So I smiled today as I read God's response to Moses found in Exodus 14. (Maybe part of my smile was because I was reading these words on a 17th floor balcony overlooking the Indian Ocean.)
The people of Israel were afraid of the pursuing Egyptian Army. They complained to Moses and he challenged them "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today." 14:13 But then, I think, Moses must have been waiting and praying - when He should have been trusting God enough to spring into action.
For God says to Moses "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff ---". In other words: it is good that you are telling the people to trust me, but now is the time for you to move! Do something! This is not the time to wait and pray. It is a time for faith motivated action.
Here is a question for today: is this a time in your life for patient waiting, enduring prayer or faith based initiative? Remember you could be waiting for God to do something, when He might be saying: "You have been waiting and praying. Now it is time to move on. Raise your staff ----."
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