Patience rewarded!
Verse for Today: Friday, July 26, 2013
Genesis 24:63b – As Isaac looked up, he saw camels approaching.
When God brings His blessings to us, it doesn’t always come on a flight, but on camel back. We often get impatient and wonder why blessings don’t come sooner. But God has an appointed time at which He brings His blessings to us and waits for us to be prepared to receive it. Isaac has been waiting for God’s blessing of a life partner for over six months, because the trip from Canaan to Paddan Aram took roughly three months one way on camel back. He exercised his spiritual mind to meditate and prepare for God’s time. He was patient and willing to wait. He had great expectations as the convoy of camels approached. He knew that the God of his father Abraham would answer his prayers and find him the person who has been divinely identified to be his wife. Rebekah also came by faith to marry the man God had chosen for her, without ever seeing him before. The life of a child of God is always one of waiting and expectation for what God will do for them each day. Some days the greatest blessing we receive is the patience to wait for God’s time. Then we will not lose our faith, but will renew our minds to see God at work on all our tomorrows. It was such faith that kept David going as he wandered through the wilderness till God lifted him up to become king of Israel. Faith kept igniting the hearts of Elijah, Daniel and Peter to be calm in the wake of great uncertainties and dangers. Isaac learned such faith from the life of his father Abraham who waited for a son for twenty five years. Later Isaac himself would learn to wait by faith for twenty years for an offspring. But as we lift up our heads and look up by faith, we will be able to see God bringing His best towards us.
Dear friend, are you becoming weary, waiting for long for God to fulfill the desires of your heart? Is your patience shaking as time ticks away? But the waiting time is different based on our spiritual maturity. For Daniel and Peter, it was only overnight for a release. Nehemiah waited for fifty two days before the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. For the praying believers, it took ten days before the promised Holy Spirit would come. For Mary and Martha, it took 4 days of waiting for Jesus to come to bring Lazarus from the dead. For others like Rachel, Hannah, Ruth and Elizabeth, it was undefined waiting time. But God knows how much each of us has to wait and He gives us the grace to patiently wait with a joyful heart. Isaac continued to meditate on what the Lord would do for him as he kept expecting God’s best in his lives. No matter what you are waiting for, God is not through with you yet. He has planned a time frame for you, and He waits for you to become mature enough to receive His best. So it is not for God to come in a hurry, but for you to prepare your heart to learn to be patient and mature by exercising your faith in God’s power to accomplish His purpose in you. Grumbling is not a mark of maturity, but instead let us praise God for each moment of our waiting time as He is working behind the scene to bring His best to us. Both Isaac and Rebekah waited patiently and God blessed them with each other at His best time. He will do the same for us today because the greatest blessing He brings to our lives is maturity and Christ-likeness rather than a few events.
Psalms 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Thought for Today
While you wait for God’s blessings in your life, God is waiting for you to become mature enough to receive it.
Prayer for Today
Lord! Make me patient and mature to wait for Your time to come without grumbling. Amen!
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