What do we do in the waiting?
In the modern technological era, with everything available at our fingertips and fibre broadband across the city, the concept of waiting is perhaps one we’re less accustomed to. Yet in a fast-paced society, COVID-19 means that everything has begun to buffer. We’ve been in total lockdown since the turn of 2021: we’re waiting for things to open up again, waiting to ‘hit resume’ on life, waiting to visit friends, go on a holiday perhaps, and even longing for some sense of normality again.
Israel – not so good at waiting!
In the past, Israelites were no strangers to waiting— they had spent 40 years in the wilderness, a buffer zone in the space in-between. A place of having escaped from Egypt, but not having yet reached Canaan— a liminal space, transitioning and waiting.
Their time in the desert wilderness was a period of deformation and reformation. The joy of escaping from Egypt was quickly replaced with grumbling. The trust placed upon Moses & Aaron was soon replaced with golden calves and resistance. Impatience crept in along with a desire to go back to slavery in Egypt (Ex16:12). The Israelites were no strangers to waiting, and were not so good at it much of the time (a bit like you and me, I imagine).
Later, a festival was created, celebrating a 50 day period of waiting between the Passover in Egypt and the receiving of the 10 commandments as they entered the Desert of Sinai. What followed was to become a season of spiritual preparation. The pattern would continue.
The Disciples – waiting in prayer
After the Resurrection of Jesus, He spent 40 days with the disciples, eating with them, teaching them and demonstrating His resurrected life. But after 40 days, He ascended to the Father and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Spirit. 10 days of prayer and waiting upon the Lord led to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost— the same day of the ancient festival.
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. – Lk. 24:49
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. – Acts 1:8
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying…. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. – Acts 1:12, 13a, 14
Ourselves – waiting & trusting
The disciples waited for what we now have. Our waiting upon the Lord is an active time that places everything in the hands of the Lord. Though we live post-Pentecost and the Spirit has come to us, we still wait on the Lord and for fresh fillings of His Spirit. (Rm8:15, Eph5:18)
Where we are right now can helpfully be a place of formation, or also dangerously, a place of deformation depending on our response in the season of waiting. Similarly, while we wait for Ireland’s easing of restrictions, may we not be found spiritually wanting.
At times, physical waiting causes angst, anger and frustration for many. For Christians, it can be a time of lament, listening and paying attention to what God wants. We too are commended to ‘wait on the Lord’ and trust in His ways and timing.
Making the most of the waiting through prayer
Since we have the empowering presence of God, we are able to make the most of our waiting. How? We saturate ourselves in prayer. We are in a season of waiting. Press into that. Make it a time of prayer and anticipation.
At a time when it is easy to be restless and discontented due to prohibitive restrictions, the speed of the vaccine rollout, our government’s response, our own frailties or whatever your context, we have a sure hope, an anchor for the soul: that God is in control. He has always been, and He always will be.
David Beldman’s blog has been helpful in understanding this season of liminality. He writes,
“Psalms of lament, coming from a source of deep trust in God, can give words to our deepest fears, anxieties, and frustrations, with the conviction that God hears our cries, sees our suffering, and is at work in it. The human tendency in the wilderness is to turn into ourselves and our misery or lash out in frustration at others.”
“Lament by no means denies our suffering but forces us to decenter ourselves and recenter on our Lord and Deliverer. They provide a reorientation.”
Leading Beyond the Wilderness: What the Book of Numbers Teaches Us About Navigating COVID-19
Where Israel struggled and failed in the wilderness, mirroring this, Jesus’ faithfulness over 40 days and nights in the wilderness reveals a deep dependency upon His Father, God.
Israel’s struggle in the wilderness, Jesus’ period in the desert and the Disciples’ waiting for power at Pentecost are helpful to encourage you and I to engage with God in a season of waiting.
Daily Devotionals – 5th April to 21st May
To help us wait, trust, learn and pray we’re going to provide daily devotionals Monday through to Friday to your inbox for 7 weeks, from 5th April to 21st May. Over these 7 weeks as a church, together we’ll wait upon the Lord, as we consider what it means to wait in a variety of contexts. This will culminate in a 24 hour of prayer session on Friday 21st May.
The topics over the 7 weeks will be:
- Resurrection
- Waiting on God
- Lament
- Rhythms of rest
- Community
- Loving our neighbour
- Reaching the lost
Our deep desire is that we engage God with our complaints, our frustrations, our hopes and desires with the hope of Christ at the fore. May this season refine us and prepare us as we join in an ancient tradition petitioning God together through these 50 days.
May our response in a season of waiting be faith-filled. Rather than longing for the old way of things or straining for a COVID-free world may we embrace this season of waiting in such a way that it is a fruitful place of becoming, a place of productive formation as we learn to trust God for what lies ahead.
Using the link below to sign up, will you commit to joining with us at CCC in receiving these devotionals over the 50 day period and allowing them to help you seek God in this season of waiting?