The Word on Waiting

A friend (actually not sure of who it is...) has been forwarding the KTIS Daily Bible Verse to me and to a list of others.

Today's verse is:

Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. (Ephesians 3:17)

As a middle class citizen of the United States who was raised in a loving (and God loving!) family, I've never had a reason to get very tough.  Oh, there have been some difficult times, but my foundation has always been strong.  In some ways I haven't had to develop the inner strength that people do who grow up in poverty or in broken families.  An MMPI I took 20 years ago shows that is true.

So, as I am dealing with some challenges these days, the that Bible verse about "growing down into God's love" is particularly important.  If all happens quickly and easily in my life the roots of my faith will not need to go deep.  I think that because so much of my life has been relatively easy, God sees that it's good for me to go through some waiting and even some suffering.  This will help me be more compassionate to others and stronger in my faith--a faith that waits for what we do not yet see.

Sometimes I wonder why I need to wait. I want to say to God: "Why not accomplish your purposes NOW. You have the power! You are able! Why the delay?"  Ephesians 3:16, together with the preceding verses (such as verse 13), gives the reassuring message that God is working his purposes out through the waiting time.   

I want to trust what God is doing.  I want to believe that through my circumstances God wants to teach me!  God will work things out in his time.  To rush is to lose faith and trust.  God wants to strengthen my faith.  God says, do not lose heart in the suffering.  This is for God's Glory (that's Ephesians 3:13).

Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief.  Help me to trust.

God's Word becomes precious through the waiting. First Corinthians 10:13 says:

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

How will I know that is true if I never am tested?

Please pray that I, and all who wait, would let our faith to grow down deep in God's love, and in God's precious word.

All praise to God!

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