Monday was our last day in Bulgaria. It's hard to believe that I was there less than a week ago. About midway into the month, Sarah and I had decided that we wanted to see a sunrise in each country. Some of the others agreed and it turned out that Monday was our last opportunity before the travel day. My amazing roommates woke up with me at 5:30am to get ready and walk to the Danube river to wait for the sun to rise. I'm so happy that someone else (actually 3 someones) were as crazy as me because you have to have a buddy on the Race and I wouldn't have been able to watch the sunrise alone.
As we started on our 10-15 minute walk we began to panic. The sky was already getting really light and I thought for a moment that Google had been incorrect about the sunrise time. Did they forget about Daylight Savings Time or what? We began to walk faster and I began to pray. I don't know why but this sunrise was really important to me. It was like a chance to encounter the Lord and see his glory in a new place and I did not want to miss it. As we're quickly figuring out the best route and spot to watch from I'm just thinking and praying (surprisingly I was alert at 5:45am).
I remember thinking that Joshua asked the Lord to stop the sun in the sky to give him time to win the battle – and the Lord did it. So I went ahead and asked Him, "Lord, could you hold off the sunrise even for a few more minutes? I want to see your beauty. I just want to be amazed at your glory. Don't show up when I'm not there to see You. Please, let me make it on time!" For a brief moment I thought that I'd be disappointed. Maybe we would miss it or we'd get there and it would be blocked by some bridge or stupid communist statue. Then I prayed again, "Lord, I know that you don't disappoint and that you are more than I realize. Bring a sunrise just for me, to show me how great Your love is for me. Show up today."
We kept walking and got to what I thought to be a great spot. Turns out that Google was correct and the sun did rise at 6:31am. I took way too many pictures, but just being there with my sweet teammates, sitting quietly and watching the sunrise over a broken Bulgarian city is something I will never forget. Seeing the beauty of the sun showed the beauty of the Son and it declared his glory over all the earth – even the poor, broken, lost city of Vidin. Yes, especially that city.
As I was pondering all of this and even before as I was waiting for the sun to completely rise, the words to a Passion song came to my mind. "Waiting Here for You" by Christy Nockels is a beautiful song that reminds me of the Lord's faithfulness. I can wait for Him because he will come through, just as the sun will always rise. I like the part of the first verse especially: "We come with expectation". That's something I'm trying to learn and embrace on the World Race. It's not only about waiting on the Lord…sometimes waiting isn't a choice. But it's how you wait. Do you and I wait like a sulking child with a selfish attitude and no patience or are we waiting peacefully, hopefully, expectantly for our God to show up? We're not waiting for him to give us something or fix our lives or listen to our complaints, but to simply show up because we're desperate for His presence and He is all we need.
Waiting Here For You
by Passion Worship Band
If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move
We come with expectation
Waiting here for you, I’m waiting here for you
You’re the Lord of all creation
And still you know my heart
The Author of Salvation
You’ve loved us from the start
Waiting here for You
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it's You we adore
Singing Alleluia
You are everything You’ve promised
Your faithfulness is true
And we're desperate for Your presence
All we need is You
Waiting here for you
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it's You we adore
We're singing Alleluia
I'm singing Alleluia
Waiting here for you
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it's You we adore
Singing Alleluia
Singing Alleluia
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
-Psalm 19:1
Waiting here for you
With our hands lifted high in praise
