As I enter this second week of Advent, I look back on a full week of concentrating on Hope. Everywhere I turned I saw evidence of Hope - either in words, actions or answered prayers. Last week was truly a week of Hope as God pointed me to His word and His definition of Hope.
Our Advent guide focuses on Waiting this week. We are a society that does NOT know how to wait. As I drove down our busy highway, I observed signs of our lack of patience. Signs announced your waiting time at the Emergency Room of the hospital. The signs flashed how long it would take to drive from one point to another. Advertisement boards were selling faster means of obtaining internet services. Fast weight loss solutions were everywhere. Self, check-out lines at the grocery store also give us a false feeling that we are getting out of the store faster. You watch people get annoyed if the information on their cell phone or Ipad doesn't come up fast enough. Everything in life screams - HURRY! or you will be left behind!!!
Abraham and Sarah had to wait for their promise. The Israelites waited decade after decade, generation after generation for the Messiah. Simeon waited to see the promised Messiah.
Our family is waiting...
- My son and his wife for a baby - our first grand child
- Loved ones to come to a relationship with Christ
- Unresolved Health Issues
- A job that would bring income and some sense of stability
- A future home
So, this Advent season I wait...
I am sure most of you are in a waiting season for something.
I am sure most of you are in a waiting season for something.
from our Advent Guide:
We know that God uses times of waiting to increase and strengthen our belief, longing and the boldness of our asking. This was true as the people of Israel waited for the promised Messiah, and it is true for the people of God today.
- Are you unsettled in your soul? Are you longing for righteousness, justice, freedom from shame, peace and security?
- Does your waiting, longing and groaning debilitate you, or is it laced with hope? Romans 8:18-25, I Thess. 4:13-17 and Titus 2:11-14
- How does anticipation increase joy? Like a catchy hook in a song's melody, the building progressions of each note rising slowly until they resolve and repeat... can we find pleasure in the anticipation?
As we wait, we should rise in agreement, hold our breath, and let out a hopeful cry.
Again, you have stopped me in my tracks with your powerful words.
ReplyDeleteI need to be more patient because my "waiting list", is long.
Amen! Along those lines, I still have my old Nokia telephone. Same one I've had for years, when all my friends, even my kids and husband, all have blackberries or iPhones. I only use my cellphone because we don't have a landline and I use it for sending simple messages to friends. Someone told me that with a newer phone, I could use the auto correct for text rather than typing letter by letter. My response was, sometimes we just need to slow down when we are doing something. I don't need a phone or computer to complete my thoughts for me. I am quite capable of doing that myself, even if it means taking the time to do it letter by letter. People are overstimulated in this day and age. I much prefer to sit back and smell the coffee rather than rush, rush, rush in everything I do. :) Wishing you a great week. Tammy
ReplyDeleteThis is so good, Janette. Waiting is hard, yet eternity is long enough and God is able to save to the uttermost. What is not healed here will be healed there... I've learned much and there is yet so much to learn about waiting. "As we wait, we should rise in agreement, hold our breath, and let out a hopeful cry." Amen! Blessings to you, sweet one!
ReplyDeleteWe had to wait for Logan. 12 years we waited. I had assurance he would come but that in itself presents impatience. It was definately a lesson in being still and waiting on the LORD. Honestly, though, I reflect on that lesson when I need to wait now but it isn't necessairly helpful. Thank goodness for forgiveness and grace!!
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ReplyDeleteLet me try that again because it didn't make sense. 8{
ReplyDeleteAs I listened to Christmas music today, I found an instrumental called "Hope." Somewhere in the middle, happy children's voices joined the instruments and I thought what a wonderful representation of hope. It's confirmed in this Waiting word of yours...waiting for your grandchild...HOPE! And the entire world is waiting. Wish they'd realize for Whom they are waiting. All of our hope rests in Him.
Your words today have inspired me, encouraged me, and convicted me....all necessary to live a balanced life which God will help us do if only we will let Him do His work in our life.....
ReplyDeleteI want you to know you are very special and I am glad God has allowed our paths to cross...You bless me...
I find waiting to be one of the hardest things to do but I also know its in the wait that the most fruit is is produced. Our list is different but we are in that waiting room right along with you
ReplyDeleteMany Blessings
You are right, patience and delayed gratification isn't something our culture is good at. We come to expect/want instantly having and instantly knowing.
ReplyDeleteI think the hardest thing to do is to wait and yet LIVE in the midst of the waiting. You are doing a good job of continuing to live, to make a good life for the people you love, in the midst of all your uncertainties. Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteWe need to slow down, learn patience and hold on to our hope. It's hard to wait sometimes, but waiting with hopeful expectation and trust in the Lord makes it easier. Thank you for your inspiring post!
ReplyDeleteI will be taking my Bible up to bed soon and seeking consolation in Romans 8:18-25, I Thess. 4:13-17 and Titus 2:11-14.
ReplyDeleteWaiting has been the name of my game for so many years on so many fronts that I have stopped expecting (or hoping?) that there will be no more wait. 2011 has pushed my limits farther than ever before, and honestly? I'm not handling like I want to.
This is a wonderful post, and I appreciate it.
Very good thoughts. Waiting is always hard. It always feels better to be doing something.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you have hope. Without hope we just dry up and blow away.
I would have to say, yes, I am waiting too and I know God has a plan and it might not be the way I want but I can say that He does know best, but I won't give up praying.
Thanks for that reminder,
Thanks for being so brave and sharing you list. I will put it down in my prayer list and be praying for those things with you.
Blessings to you my friend,
Have a great week.
It is hard to wait. Sometimes we have more grace and patience in our waiting... sometimes we fail... Lessons come in our patience or impatience.
ReplyDeleteAll in God's timing... And, so I wait, too...
great post. great questions to consider.
blessings ~ tanna
This is so where I am right now -thank you for writing this post for me my friend. We are praying and waiting on many things in our lives and the lives of my family right now. I am not a very good waiter-I am a fixer and want to make everything right-at this very instant.
ReplyDeleteI am on my knees (well the bad one right now not so much) in prayer just waiting and trying with all my heart to hear His voice and trust His plans.
Love you-and your blog. :)
PS I have that wooden manger scene that you have in that picture on here. :) Made me smile and think, one more thing that makes me think we have a lot in common-you are a dear.
Praying for all you are waiting on too-in His time, He really makes all things beautiful doesn't He. :)
Hugs
Jill
It seems as if I have spent a great deal of my life "waiting" if I am being honest. Truthfully, it is always something we are waiting for. But it is often in that wait that I hear His voice most. This was a fantastic post, and at such a timely time.
ReplyDeleteI admit it - I have always been a terrible waiter. Mostly because waiting has something to do with fear for me. Waiting - without knowing - how things are going to turn out. Nope, never been good at that.
ReplyDeleteHowever, more and more I am finding that God is stretching my limits. My waiting has become laced with hope and expectation. My waiting is now colored with confidence in God's love. My waiting is being calmed and stilled by the Voice who whispers to my soul, "Do not be dismayed. I AM..."
Thanks, Janette - really liked this one so much.
GOD BLESS!
So well said! You have such a gift for getting to the heart of a matter Janette. Thank you for sharing this. Very, very inspiring :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Marcia
Rising in hopeful agreement with you, Janette ... and waiting.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much to wait for, besides Jesus. Yet, if people have waited for almost 2000 years for him to return, I can wait and hope and keep waiting and hoping for my prodigals to return.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that hope comes before waiting. Without hope, waiting would be quite impossible for me....
ReplyDeleteAlmost missed this one. Glad I saw it just now. You know what I have been waiting on for twenty-five years. Waiting is very hard for most people, including me. But, the Lord knew that in waiting we would learn faith, hope and patience. I hold on to the fact that He turns everything around for our good in His time and for His purposes.
ReplyDeleteHugs~
What a great post, Janette.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much.
We ARE extremely impatient and we need a lot of practice waiting. I appreciate you.
Waiting can be so hard to do! And yet, in the midst of the waiting if we stop and listen ...we learn such valuable lessons. I know the Lord is teaching me much in this season of waiting.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janette for your encouragement. I echo many of your prayers for loved ones.
You are a blessing!
Love you,
Debbie
And there are people in our paths all day long who do not know the hope that we have. Shame on us if we try to match their pace instead of setting the light before them, the light that says, "this is the way, walk in it." We should be walking slowly and steadfastly and joyfully before them (regardless of our circumstances)... confounding them and causing them to question how they too might find the Peace that is ours... The Lord bless you wise friend!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Debbie
Thank you for sharing, Janette.
ReplyDeleteI needed this to remind me to take time to slow down and wait.
Ah, my old nemeses, waiting, particularly patient waiting. Never one of my virtues, but God has told me over and over to wait for His timing. I have gotten better.
ReplyDeletePsalm 27:14 says it so well: Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.
Ah, my old nemeses, waiting, particularly patient waiting. Never one of my virtues, but God has told me over and over to wait for His timing. I have gotten better.
ReplyDeletePsalm 27:14 says it so well: Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.
What a great post...we are also in a waiting mode on a few things. So grateful there is hope!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post! Patience is NOT my middle name. Thank you for bringing to light also what is of true importance.
ReplyDeleteThis time of year is always a time of reflection for me. I am so grateful for God's Love and His provision. Thanks again! :)
What a beautiful post, Janette. Did you know that your blog is among my favorites? Because you're so honest... and transparent. You aren't hard to get to know... and I enjoy knowing you just a bit more with every blog post of yours that I read.
ReplyDeleteThis thing about waiting, it's so true! And you are right on, I am waiting for the resolution of certain issues in my life.
So glad to know that you will soon be a grandma! And the Advent guide from your church, thank you for sharing that.
"Enjoy" your waiting season... for the promise of an answer is what gives you HOPE!
Love
Lidia
I hate waiting, but try to find contentment in it.
ReplyDeletethis is so good...I'm so glad I stopped by. I long to wait quietly but I often find myself waiting impatiently. Thanks for this reminder.
ReplyDeleteLisa Q
stitching under oaks
Janette, your words are so true!
ReplyDelete"This was true as the people of Israel waited for the promised Messiah, and it is true for the people of God today."
I love the season of Advent for reflection on what we are really waiting for and not getting caught up in the rush with the commercial world. Also to be reminded of another advent we are in currently as we wait for His return. Waiting with expectation and joy, understanding that He keeps His promises.
One word! "Thanks" Though I have been gone for a week, God knew I needed this for today!!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Sue
This is a great message. I'm in the wait season to see my son again.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, God waits with us.
Love this post. Thank you, as always, for a great reminder of what is important.
ReplyDeletei love your posts!
ReplyDeletegrandbaby??? oh happy day!
i came over to wish you a wonderful
Christmas with many angelic surprises,
wonderment, and stillness.
love you!
Dear Janette, Thank you for your visit and your prayers. Prayers are the perfect gift anyone can give.
ReplyDeleteI agree that without hope all is lost. Hope and belief are essential for our faith and to get through our lives. I too will keep you in my prayers. Blessings my friend. Catherine xo
Dear Janette, Thank you for your visit and your prayers. Prayers are the perfect gift anyone can give.
ReplyDeleteI agree that without hope all is lost. Hope and belief are essential for our faith and to get through our lives. I too will keep you in my prayers. Blessings my friend. Catherine xo
Many blessings on you as you wait.
ReplyDeleteFondly,
Glenda