Waiting

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” –Psalm 40:1.  “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” –Psalm 27:14 (ESV).

For many of us, waiting is not an interval we especially enjoy.  Most of us are impatient by nature, wanting events to move along by clockwork and preferring that things be accomplished yesterday instead of having to wait until tomorrow or next week.

Missionary Elisabeth Elliott whose husband, Jim Elliott, was killed while he worked to try to get missionary work started with the Auca Indians of eastern Ecuador, herself went about two years later to become a missionary to them and a translator of their language.  Not only did she have to go through the act of forgiveness of the martyrdom of her own husband and other missionaries with him, but she had to patiently wait for understanding of their language so that the Bible could be translated for them.  She returned to the states after working with them and others and began her writing ministry.  When she was a young woman studying at a Christian college, her aim was “to do God’s will.”  She patiently sought His will and followed it, regardless of the circumstances.  It led her to a mission field and back to the United States to write more than 20 books and conduct a Christian radio program, “Gateway to Joy” aired over Back-to-the-Bible broadcast from Lincoln, Nebraska.  With that 14-minute program five days a week for 13 years, her messages touched people around the world.  The program opened by her saying:  “You are loved with an everlasting love.  That’s what the Bible teaches.  And underneath are the Everlasting Arms.  “Every situation—no matter how dark and distressing—if given to Jesus, can become your Gateway to Joy.  It was true then, and is still true today.  What matters to you matters infinitely more to Him.”

Through her daily advice, she encouraged persons to wait upon the Lord and to trust in Him.  In a program called “Waiting,” she said:  “His message to me every day is wait, be still, trust, and obey.”  Waiting is a major part of obedience to Him, of allowing time for us to be ready for His will to be done. 

                                                                  –Ethelene Dyer Jones  03.02.2014