Waiting On The Lord

Hurrying up to wait seems to be the mantra of modern day society. How many of us have made appointments with our doctors, lawyers, hair care professionals, tax consultants and others, only to arrive on time and find ourselves waiting. Waiting seems to be a way of life and yet it is one of the most uncomfortable activities we engage on a regular basis. It seems that the longer we wait, the more our minds wander, the more our thoughts are provoked and the greater our anxiety becomes. Waiting is never easy; in fact, many of our regrettable decisions were made during times of waiting. So, what does it mean to wait, who and what are we waiting for, why should we wait, and if we do, for how long?

While waiting has caused some regrettable decisions and often makes us feel uncomfortable, as Christians, there are some positive benefits associated with waiting, especially when waiting on the Lord. We are told to wait on the Lord and be of good courage and the Lord will strengthen our heart. Scripture also affirms that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. We are also admonished to be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently on the Lord to act.

While these passages of scripture sound good, they often raise our level of anxiety because waiting from a secular perspective is counter-cultural to the sacred reality of the Lord. To wait on the Lord is to wait knowing that a preferred end will happen. To wait on the Lord is based on knowledge and trust that the Lord’s word never returns void but will accomplish that to which it was intended.

Waiting is an action and because it is an action, it involves doing something; both positive and negative. It involves adding and taking away, making adjustments, reassessing what was and envisioning what can be. Waiting gives courage, patience, endurance and strength. According to one author, waiting involves things we do – doing things right; the things we are not to do- refraining from the wrong things; and things that happen to us, in us, and for us as we wait.

Ultimately, waiting is a choice, just like choosing God. And if we choose God then waiting is only a matter of time because with God, things may not come when we want them, but they will always be right on time; God’s time.

The Ongoing Gift

At a recent ministers meeting, the group reflected on how we would redesign Christmas. Celebrating, giving, receiving, sharing, doing, transforming, teaching, delivering, expecting, caring, loving, living, and finding were some of the words that identified what we would do. After personal reflection a few days later, I realized that the words that expressed our collective redesign of Christmas were words that exemplified the life and ministry of Jesus. Each word describes a positive and transformative action. Each word when acted upon can aid in our personal and collective spiritual growth. I wonder, what would happen if we took action on each of these words daily, weekly or monthly; it would truly become a gift that keeps on giving long after December 25^th has come and gone. I welcome and challenge you to join me in giving this gift at Christmas and watch how God provide our increase.

How Many By When

As the church positions herself to engage another year of service unto the Lord and the people of God, having an expectation of desired outcomes is going to be important. Critical to making such determinations is being aware of the pulse of the society around us. For many churches, the pews already know with certainty what the people are reluctant to acknowledge; empty pews is a sign of dissatisfaction and a lack of relevance. No matter what is said or done, at the end of the day the pews tell the true story; when the church meets the relevant needs of the people, the pews  become full and when it does not, the pews remain empty.

Attracting people to church is not as complicated as many may think. It first begins with asking the right questions in order to receive right answers. Finding out the relevant needs of people is a first step in working to meet those needs. When people’s needs are met, they usually return to the source of those met needs. Truth is, Sunday’s between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. is possibly the most prime time of the entire weekend. During this time a plethora of events, activities and opportunities are present for people to engage themselves in lieu of being in worship.

As ardent churchgoers, we must be honest with ourselves; worship may catch them but it will not keep them. People are looking for something tangible to do for and with the church and the body of Christ. When the people of God are not engaged in ministry and activities that meet their needs during the week, they find some other means to stimulate their interest and satisfy their longings. Therefore, as we look toward 2012, the critical question for the church is how many unmet needs are there in the church and how many of those needs will the church satisfy within a reasonable period of time. Unmet needs are a sign of dissatisfaction, but when those same needs are met, signs of vitality will emerge throughout the congregation.

 I urge the church to identify the unmet needs within its body and find creative and innovative ways to meet and satisfy them.