A MOMENT OF SPIRITUAL REFLECTION: IS IT TAKING TOO LONG TO WAIT?
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8 NIV)
Our perception of time is different from God’s perception of time.
The context of these inspiring words is about watching and waiting for the second coming of Jesus and Lord’s patience for many to come to salvation. In them we need to understand that God does not look at time like the way we do in order to accomplish His purpose. What we perceive as long waiting is not slowness or slackness or delay or relaxing of our God. God is able to accomplish what man can toil for one thousand years in a single act. God is not limited by space, time and our perceptions.
We can learn bit of developing skills of waiting from God. A waiter in a restaurant is always patient with the customers. One thing the waiter knows is that every customer that comes in the restaurant will give an order of the food he or she likes. And the priority of every waiter is to be alert and to make sure the customer is comfortable. The waiter expectantly waits.
Many times, we are deceived by our own perceptions. But if we seek to comprehend things pertaining our present and future in through God’s eyes, nothing will worry those who are in Christ. We try many things and we fail because we are not in tune with God purpose. And because our selfish and doubt, (But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6) we don’t get anything. God looks at our motives because He knows what is hidden and not obvious. James helps us to reflect what is in our hearts so as to be in the right with God in order to receive blessings. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:3)
Why did Abraham get a son 25 years later after the promise? God had to train him on what it means to wait. Waiting involves believing, and believing is more than just trusting. It means trusting and obeying. Most of the time we like to blame God and do things in our own way, or according to the ways of others. “So she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her. “Abram agreed to what Sarai said. (Genesis 16:2).
God always intervene to correct us from our mistakes and failure. These are the words he spoke to Abram in order to bring him right with His promise. “I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her. Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing! Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” (Genesis 17:16-19).
Is it taking too long to wait? Reflect your motives of what you have been waiting for. Count your long waiting as God’s forbearance with your mistakes and impatient as a way of training you to mature in faith. One thing we need to know is that, because God is, we can face tomorrow with confidence. God is never late in fulfilling His divine purposes for those who are in Christ.
By REV. ANDREW MUGO AND PR. PENINAH KARIUKI
