Okay, We're Here, Now What?

Good Tuesday morning! Does it feel as though salvation ended a few years ago, and now we are here waiting on some definitive, unmistakable, and certainly clear calling from God to come down from on high like Isaiah's? Yet, Isaiah was one of those who looked forward with eager anticipation to our time, the time of the church when Messiah has come and now lives in our hearts. We walk daily with our Lord in the person of the Holy Spirit, what more do we need? I think we are missing out on the joy of discovery; the discovery that comes from waiting on the Lord.

Waiting on the Lord is tough, no doubt about that. We look and listen, at least we think we do, but sometimes clear direction does not seem to be forthcoming. We want a prophet such as Isaiah to step forward out of the crowd and tell us "Do this right now, so says the Lord of hosts!" Yet, so many times in the Old Testament we can read of that very thing and the immediate and even violent disobedience of those receiving the message. Jonah received his calling in a direct message from God and immediately bought a ticket on a ship going the other way. Would we be any better in his circumstance?

Yet, in scripture there is a small voice, a whisper speaking to us. The whisper may come in the voice of a friend, mentor, or teacher, but God's direction does come to those who wait. You may not understand why you made that last decision, and it may seem like you did so on a whim, yet God is watching over you and guiding you in every step. Faith does not always know in the manner we think that knowing works. Faith believes and steps off in a direction on a path that may seem random. Does faith struggle through swamps of doubt and despair? Yes! Praise God you have reached that swamp. Now let the Holy Spirit bring the help you need to get out of the stinking, sticking mess.

Trust in God, and take comfort from my experience. It is tough, oh so tough when we reach that point: Okay, we're here, now what? Waiting in faith is perhaps the hardest thing we will face in our journey with Christ. An answer may not arrive when we think it is time for God to answer. The answer may be well after the time we think God should have had us on our way. Well, God wants us on HIS way in HIS timing. So, we wait in faith and learn in that time to trust God.

Have mercy on our nation, dear Lord, we are in dire need of your mercy this day.

Bucky