Revolutionary Leaders

Passionately Waiting

Wait passionately for God,

don't leave the path.

He'll give you your place in the sun

while you watch the wicked lose it.

(Psalm 37:34, The Message)

Let's face it, waiting is not our strongest quality these days. We live in the days of instant gratification. We want things "my way" and we want them NOW. Money burns a hole in our pockets because we can't patiently wait for a sale or save for a rainy day. We eat fastfood almost daily because of our incessent desire to be "on the go". Our prayer time is more like a "top ten request line" than it is a time of waiting in his presence.

Patience is a challenge for me as well. I want answers. I want results. I'm driven and motivated to accomplish my goals and visions for life and ministry. Patience seems more like an obstacle than a virtue. I don't even want to pray for patience because I know that God will bring "opportunities" for me to stretch in that area.

However, I do want to find find my "place in the sun". I want to be in God's will and find success where He places me. My challenge - our challenge - then is to not only be patient, but to "passionately wait". However trying, however painful it might seem, we must wait.

Passionately waiting means trusting fully on God's divine sovereignty with exciting anticipation that He will bring about "HIS good, pleasing and perfect will" in our lives. So before you are driven by Nike's famous theme, "Just Do It", just wait - patiently and passionately.

(St. James Episcopal Church, Boardman, Ohio, built in 1827)