◄ Wait Just Wait ►

I Wait for the LORD. My soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope.
Psalm 130:5

Tarrying Bride

How often we hear of the beautiful bride in all her loveliness delaying her journey. How often she tarries awhile before walking down the aisle towards her beloved. Her little loitering is not to adjust her tresses or smooth away the folds of her gown. She postpones her grand entry to ensure her beloved’s anticipation is heightened. She defers her arrival to deepen his love and increase his longing to be one with her.

Delaying Groom

But what if the bridegroom were to delay his coming? What tantrums and tears would follow! What grief and distress would be displayed! Would she wait a minute, an hour, a week, a month for the one she loves so dearly? Would she wait a year with increased expectancy to fall into his loving embrace? Would disinterest seep into her longing to be with him? Would irritation remove the pain of being apart from him? Would she seek after others to woo her or be lulled into some narcotic sleep?

Watchful Readiness

Such thoughts may raise the eyebrows or bring a wry smile to the face, and yet we are told: while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” This caused Jesus to ask: Could ye not watch with Me one hour….?  Scripture most certainly does imply a tarrying of heavenly Bridegroom, yet it’s the wicked servant who says in his heart, my Lord delays His coming. This attitude receives the rebuke from the Lord in the Olivet parable that tells of His return. Though tarrying is indeed implied in these two conflicting example, a patient waiting and watchful readiness is the desire of the Lord – for His darling bride.

Patient Waiting

Waiting for Love’s embrace is far from easy when the object of love is delayed. I go to prepare a place for you, He promised. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself. Should not this promise of the heavenly Bridegroom cause our hearts to rejoice? Should not the deep desire or His heart move our own to an even deeper longing?  Knowing that He prayed: Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am..” John 17:24. Should not our yearning love for Him overshadow any concern about His delay?  For having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the end.

Unnecessary Panic

But these are dark days, when the  bride of her choosing panics... "he delays!"  What are we to do in these inky days of perplexity and confusion? What must the obedient disciple do in a season of such anxiety of heart?  What actions should the faithful believers do in such moments of nagging concerns?  What should you do if you’re groping your way through a fear that the Lord delays?

Patiently Occupy

Well, Listen! We are to trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon God. We are to occupy till the Lord returns.. but equally important is to wait for Him and rest in His love. How hard this is for the poor, human nature, who uses busyness as a distraction.. to wait – to patiently wait. How much easier it is to rush hither and to fly thither and to get into a heady spin. But WAIT – wait for Him. If your heart is disturbed, or those around you are losing their cool... just wait. If you run into a spiritual fog, turn aside and rest awhile and wait, just wait.

Stop: Listen: Wait

Simply put, don’t trust in your own intuition. Don’t be influenced by the ranting of others. Simply trust in the Lord and wait for His soon return. When we put our trust firmly in Him, God can work in and through us. When we are impulsed to react on impressions, we block His workings. If minds are distracted and hearts are distressed because the Lord delays... wait. If darkness overshadows and terrors strike… wait, just wait..  If you start to rush hither and thither to discover answers – simply stop. Just listen and just wait.

Appointed Time

It is the peace of God that will quiet your mind and rest your heart. Our times are in His hand and His appointed times are in His hands too. We are to simply to wait – just to wait. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. We wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, Who delivers us from the wrath to come. So wait – just wait.