“It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.'” Isaiah 25:9 (ESV)
For a good part of my life I felt like the first part of this verse. Waiting for the Lord. Waiting to feel and experience him in an intimate way. I was saved but felt like I was missing something. The example that came to mind is Dr. Seuss’ book, “O The Places You’ll Go!” In the story there is a waiting place, and people are always waiting for things to happen. I believe God has us in waiting places for a time – it could be waiting for a good job, waiting to get married, waiting to go on the world race, or it could be waiting to be out of a dry season, waiting to have an intimate relationship with the Lord.
What caught my eye in this verse was the last part, “let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Rejoice in his salvation even when you’re in the waiting place, rejoice and rest in who he says you are. Remind yourself of the truth when you don’t believe it because your head might believe it but you’re heart might not. There is joy and blessing in the waiting place because he is still drawing you closer, and when you look back you can see he was right beside you the whole time. I am not in the waiting place that I was in before, but I know there will be others. It has been difficult being back from training camp because some of my old fears have crept back. The difference now (which is huge) is that I know they don’t have to take me down, and I’m learning how to not allow them to. Praise, glory and honor to God!
These are so many of the things he has been teaching me in the past couple of months while I’ve been preparing, waiting, for January to come and I embark on this next journey. Even though it has been 6 months of waiting for this time to arrive, it has still been sad to say goodbye this last week to the job I have loved for 2 years, the apartment and roommates I have lived with for 2 years and many dear friends that I’ve made in Portland. I have become a better person and seen Jesus more because of all of you and I am forever grateful for you. I have no idea where God will take me after this next year but I will remember where he has brought me from. Thank you.
I am home with my parents (Tri-Cities woot woot!) now until I leave on January 6th for Georgia, and then off to India a couple days after that. Christmas is this week (can you believe it?!) and I hope for you it can be a time of reflection on where he has brought you from – the blessings and the hardship. Let him remind you that he loves you, that he sent you the best gift ever so that you can know him, and that he is with you every step of the way.
More blog posts to come, and more frequently too! While I’m on the field I will be posting every week about what has happened that week.
Merry Christmas everyone!
