Hurry Up and Wait
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
Hurry up and wait. That description of my life at this place and time is right on. After several family gatherings on both Sherri’s side as well as my own preceded our arrival in High Point, North Carolina. It was a wonderfully hectic time as we reconnected with family we had not seen in years.
Last Saturday, we were met by some of our members at Embrace Church, who helped us unload furniture for my study and the guest bed, which I will be using until the remainder of our furniture arrives. The weekend was spent unpacking, grocery shopping, preaching, and attending some fourth of July fellowships.
But this morning, Sherri left for Pensacola, and I’m here alone. It’s quiet. Part of me feels like it’s too quiet. But I know better. God’s Spirit has been busy whispering in my ear for the last few days, preparing me for this time. It’s a part of His plan as He prepares me for the days ahead. And let me be clear about something - I don’t have a clue what about what God is planning.
What I do know is that, like all of God’s plans for our lives, it begins in our innermost being, in the quiet and secret places of our hearts.
I love the story of Elijah in the cave at Mount Horeb. The prophet is seeking God’s direction. After three and a half long years, the drought has ended, the fire has fallen, and Elijah is feeling cut off, alone, and aimless. God instructs him to stand in the mouth of the cave in which he’s hiding. There, the Lord tells Elijah that He will “pass by,” and He will speak with him.
Elijah does as God commands. A powerful wind sweeps across the mountain and shatters the rocks. But God is not in the wind. An earthquake shakes the mountain, but God is not in the earthquake. Then comes a fire following the earthquake, but God is not in the fire.
But after the wind and the earthquake and the fire, God does indeed show up. Bible translations vary, but many scholars believe that the phrase “sheer silence” captures the essence of God’s presence with Elijah.
Sheer silence. That’s exactly what Elijah needed to clearly hear God’s directions for the days ahead.
How long did Elijah wait before the sheer silence of God’s presence arrived in the mouth of that cave? We don’t know. What we do know is that it was out of that sheer silence that his future ministry was revealed.
It’s quiet here alone in the condo. I wish I could say that my spirit was quiet as well. It’s not. But God has me exactly where He wants me. And I’m willing to wait on His life-giving Word for the days ahead. And as my spirit settles down, as my spiritual ears tune in to His rhythms of grace, I have no doubt that I’ll begin to see the plans He has for me.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
In Christ,
Dan
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