Second Monday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
An Invitation to Wait
by Brian Yu
Over the summer, my wife and I decided to have our kitchen renovated. The old kitchen had been around for over 3 decades (which actually meant it was older than my wife!) and it was in huge need of a makeover. We had a vision for the new kitchen from what the layout would be to what the cabinets would look like. We had a concrete plan—a plan that would hopefully get the kitchen done in 2 weeks. And we had a team that would help bring the whole thing to reality. I Imagined sailing smoothly through the 2 weeks it would take to complete. The ride was a lot bumpier than I expected. Our house was often in disarray. Stuff was all over the place—pots and pans in the basement, cutlery in the living room, cereal in the family room. Dust was a constant companion. Noise took over at inopportune times of the day (a problem when you're working from home during a pandemic). And of course, delays occurred that are notorious for a house project like this. I couldn't wait for it to be all over so that things could just go back to normal and I can enjoy cooking meals again.
I wonder how many of us are simply waiting for the pandemic to be over so that things could just go back to normal and we can enjoy the things that we used to? I'm a church planter. I have a vision, a concrete plan, and a team that would help bring the church plant to reality. The pandemic threw a wrench into that vision, plan, and team. I remember thinking to myself that this whole thing would blow over in a couple of weeks. Months later, the end of this unique ordeal is still not in sight. As I reflect on the past several months, I realize that I've spent a lot of time waiting. But I've been waiting for the wrong thing. I've been waiting for the pandemic to be over so that things could go back to normal and I can enjoy church planting again. I've come to realize that in the midst of uncertainty and disarray, I'm invited to wait for something else instead.
I'm invited to wait for the Lord. Isaiah 26 and Psalm 27 convey a deep desire to wait upon the Lord and to earnestly seek after Him especially in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty (often caused by the ungodly nations that surrounded and opposed Israel). As the people of Israel waited upon the Lord, they discovered and became recipients of life-giving things: encouragement (Ps. 27:3), peace (Is. 26:12), and wise direction (Ps. 27:4)—things that we could certainly use today. In the midst of our own times of uncertainty, we are invited to wait upon the Lord to receive strength for our souls, peace for our minds, and direction for our steps. We are invited to sit in the presence of God who becomes our anchor in tumultuous waters.
I'm invited to wait for myself. Difficult times often present us with a unique opportunity for personal growth. Although the troubles of life are seldom welcomed and wanted, they can bring us to a place of reflection where our motivation, character, and attitude are examined. Throughout the Psalms, King David poetically conveys his reflections about himself, about God, and about his friendship with God. David appears to have formed a habit of patient introspection that helped grow his character and his relationship with God. This allowed David to successfully navigate the myriad of situations that he faced. When problems arise in our own lives, we naturally just want to fix them. And we want to fix them as fast as possible. I wonder if God is less concerned with the speed at which things get done and more concerned about how we are undone in His presence so that we can be built up in godly character and motivation. In the midst of uncertainty, we are invited to patiently wait for ourselves to become the kind of people God wants to eventually use in His kingdom.
I'm invited to wait for others. We are likely not journeying through uncertain and troubling times by ourselves. We have our families, our church communities, our friends, and our leadership teams. But we each experience uncertainty (like this pandemic we're in) with different lenses and circumstances. And this may pose unique challenges for some more than others. I recently heard somebody comment on the radio regarding the pandemic that "we may be in the same storm but we're likely not in the same boat." People often deal with problems and circumstances differently from each other. As a leader, I need to be able to recognize and appreciate that. By doing so, I can wait patiently for people and not rush them to a place they're not ready for. This goes for folks in my congregation, team players in my leadership, or members of my own family. As I wait for others, I'm invited to participate in the encouraging, supporting, and training work that God is doing to help people get through the uncertain waters they find themselves in.
We’re invited today to wait for the right things. In the midst of turmoil and disarray, it's tempting to rush into things in an attempt to solve every issue and problem. "Waiting" is an unfamiliar posture in the midst of a hurried culture. And yet, waiting patiently for the right things—for ourselves, for others, and most importantly, for the Lord—is one of the most worthwhile things we can do in the middle of any storm.
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