DON'T PRESS "0"

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

We sure don’t like to wait do we?

We don’t like lines, we don’t like hold music, we don’t like being asked to step to the left or park in that “little special” place next to the drive thru. Come on be honest. You didn’t wake up this morning and say I sure hope I get stuck in traffic, have a long wait for my McWhatever or Grande’Cappawhatsit.

We are an impatient lot. We want what we want and we know full and well when we should get it.

So what do we do? We press “0”to reach the operator. We tap our foot impatiently in line. We let out an audible sigh hoping the person on the other side of the counter steps it up a bit.

And often in life these little strategies work. We are able to speed up the burger and fries. We might even get our pizza “comped” for being delivered past the expected time. And while impatience is occasionally rewarded down here on earth, GOD calls us to be just the opposite. GOD tells us to wait!.

In fact He even says great things happen to those who are “waiters”and who are not toe tappers and "sighers”.

Isaiah 40:31

But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.

But we try to do the same with GOD that we do with the phone queue at customer service. We press “0” over and over again trying to speed up our answers. We pace and fret wondering if GOD has heard our prayers and question why He is so slow to respond.

Yet, GOD tells us to "be still". In fact waiting is one of the essentials of the Christian life. For waiting keeps us in step with GOD’s timing for us, not our own.

I know in our world, we are pressured to “hurry and decide, or lose out.”I can honestly say, I struggle with waiting too. But the Lord asks us to stand against this culture’s way of operating and to wait until we receive His signals, His direction, His suggestion, His guidance and His response.

Why?

Because His plan is the best plan and His timing is the best timing for us!

Isaiah 30:18

God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.

Perhaps you woke up today anxious for an answer from GOD in a situation or circumstance. Maybe you have been waging a battle for some time and you can’t see any progress.

Resist the temptation to get frustrated with GOD and look for ways to manipulate and accelerate. Instead “be still”, step back, exercise a little patience and wait. If you do, GOD will make Himself apparent and your outcome will turn out right! He promises.

Psalm 37:34

Wait passionately for God, don’t leave the path. He’ll give you your place in the sun...

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney