August 20, 2004
Encouragement for Today
"God's Waiting Room"
Leigh Gray, Member P31 Speaker Team
Key verse:
Come make us gods who will go before us. Exodus 31:1b (NIV)
Devotion:
It seems like I have been waiting on God forever to bring us a buyer for our home. We have had our house for sale for over six months now. I know He is aware of our situation. We have four growing kids and a mom and dad who love having a weekly date night. There are two house payments and those four growing, hungry kids. We had it sold and then the weekend before we closed on our new house, the deal fell through. Why? The other houses in the neighborhood are selling. Will I have to wait forever?
This whole house selling dilemma reminds me of the days of Exodus when Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. Moses was gone for quite a while and the people grew anxious for him to return as their leader. Maybe the Israelites had been so used to someone lead them and so dependent on God providing for their every need, that they began to get worried and impatient waiting for their leader to get back from communing with the Lord. No, the Lord never stopped providing for them, but their leader was gone, out of sight!
The Israelites took matters into their own hands. I can relate! They wanted to be led and asked Aaron to "make gods who will go before us" (Exodus 32:1). Aaron did just as they asked and with futile human hands, they shaped a golden calf and began to worship this new leader.
I understand completely taking things into my own hands. We have been waiting an eternity for God to move and bring us a buyer. I do know that He is the only one who can move a mountain and that house but there are times when I begin thinking of ways that I could sell it faster, out of His timing. Just to be done with it. Many times, being in "God's waiting room", as Beth Moore describes it, is tough. I become very impatient.
In the wait, I don't think that my husband and I have constructed any calves to worship and follow, but it is not impossible. I am sure the Lord will reveal that sin if necessary. I have learned through this Biblical example that I must be patient and steadfast until God moves in my circumstances. His timing is perfect. He is working in other ways right now. I need to keep my eyes focused, waiting for Him to sell this house, which seems like a mountain to me, and keep worshipping. I must remain faithful and wait in expectation! He is always faithful!
My prayer for today:
Father, please show me the ways that I have taken things into my own hands and not waited for You to move. Please help me to be patient in Your waiting room.
Application steps:
Write a letter to the Lord asking His forgiveness for taking things into your own hands.
Tear up or even burn that letter knowing that He has forgiven you and then start afresh!
Reflection points:
Do you like to be in control of things? Why?
Do you feel you have trouble trusting God to be in control?
Are there any "golden calves" you need to tear down?
Power verses:
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
"No one can serve two masters." Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
"In the morning O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
Additional resources:
Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed by Lysa Terkeurst
http://www.gospelcom.net/p31/resources/radical.html
A Woman Who Listens to God by Sharon Jaynes
http://www.gospelcom.net/p31/resources/womanlistens.html