When God Says “Wait”

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Every year the elementary school that my boys have attended for a combined twelve years holds a spring track-and-field day. It’s adorable. The kindergartners take turns jumping in sack races, the first graders throw each others’ shoes and race to put them on and then cross the finish line, and the second graders race to the finish while doing a “baby crawl.” Of course, that’s just for the little kids. The third through fifth graders – the big kids on the elementary campus – compete in the more traditional events, such as long jump, high jump, 50-yard dash, and the dreaded “marathon” (probably ½ mile, measuring generously).

The kids take this track day very seriously. In fact, the fastest kids have the honor of being invited to the district-wide track day where they will compete with dozens of other schools and have their bottoms whooped by the best third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade runners in town. 

Considering that they have been eagerly awaiting (and often anxiously dreading) this day for weeks beforehand, you can imagine that they aren’t amused when the junior high school kids who referee the events don’t take it as seriously as they should.

One year my son Owen was lined up at the starting line for the 50 yard dash. It was his best event. He was anticipating a glorious win, but dreading the possibility that this year he might lose to Carter. Carter was fast. But Owen was pretty sure he was faster. They dug in their feet, ready to burst off the line at the whistle. The junior-high helper shouted down the line, “On your marks! Get set!…Just kidding!” The kids flinched and the parents groaned. Then she started again, “On your marks! Get set! …Not yet!” (haha!) Owen had jolted forward that time. He was so ready to go! This was ridiculous! So frustrating. Finally, “On your marks!…Get set!…Go!” There was a slight hesitation as the kids expected another trick, but when they realized this was the real deal they shot down their lanes. Owen won! (Take that, Carter!)

Have you ever hesitated on the starting line, so to speak, eager and ready to serve in your calling in God’s kingdom, and felt like God was making you hurry up and wait?

This has been a season of unmet expectations, grief and loss, and shattered dreams.

Were you primed for a promotion when the Coronavirus hit and now plans have been put on hold? Were you planning the vacation of a lifetime and now the vacation has been cancelled? Maybe you were ready to jump into what you thought was God’s great next step for your life and he said, No. Hold on. Not this. Not yet.

This has been a season of unmet expectations, grief and loss, and shattered dreams.

Waiting for God’s Timing

The story of Moses and the people of Israel in the book of Exodus is a story of waiting. In Exodus 2, the Bible tells us that one day after Moses had grown up, with the people of Israel in slavery in Egypt, Moses stepped into the place of God and killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite slave. He was ready to save the people of Israel, but it wasn’t time yet. God said, No. Hold on. Not this. Not yet.

Moses ran into exile and lived for forty years in the desert. Forty years! Moses was ready to step up and serve God’s kingdom, and God made him wait. And wait. And wait!

After forty years, after Moses had started a family and had a new life in a new place, God said, Now, Moses. It’s time.

“Then the Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.'”
Exodus 3:7-8 ESV

Take a moment to think about that. Why now, God? Did he only just hear the cries of Israel? They were crying out forty years ago as they were suffering and Moses tried to step into the gap.

God’s Timing is Perfect

God had a great plan for his enslaved nation of Israel. They were going to be a great nation, God’s own nation, to shine like stars among the nations, to bring glory to God.

This great privilege was also a great responsibility. Their hearts needed to be fully attuned to God’s heart. They needed to be desperately reliant on him.

God was waiting for them to be ready. God was waiting for his servant Moses to be ready.

Their hearts needed to be fully attuned to God’s heart. They needed to be desperately reliant on him. God was waiting for them to be ready.

God is the loving and perfect orchestrater of this world. He is effortlessly and flawlessly arranging every detail for the good of his beloved children.

He’s not arranging it according to what we want, though, but according to what is best.

“But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
My times are in your hand.”
Psalm 31:14-15 ESV

Dear Lord, we believe you are good. We trust in your love. Our times are in your hand. Please help us to lean into the waiting. Help us to grow while we wait, coming out the other end of tunnel stronger in our faith, more dependent on you, with hearts attuned to yours. Amen.

For Further Study

Take a look at these other stories of waiting:

• The nation of Israel, wandering in the desert for 40 years, waiting for their Promised Land (Exodus 12:31-Joshua 6:27)
• Hannah, waiting for a child. (1 Samuel 1:1-2:11)
• David, chosen by God to be King, yet on the run from King Saul, waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled (1 Samuel 16:1-2 Samuel 5:5)
• God’s people, exiled into other nations, waiting to return to their own nation and their temple. (2 Chronicles 36:15-23, 587 BC~444 BC, See also Daniel, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Obadiah, and Ezekiel)
• Mary and Martha, waiting for Jesus to save their brother. (John 11:1-44)