On March 14th, it felt like the world hit the pause button. For other parts of the world, it came much sooner. Life just seemed to enter a time and space that the majority of people have never seen or experienced. Life, as we know it, came to a screeching halt. The pleasantries of life became things we took for granted to be replaced by what was truly necessary. And now we wait. We wait to see how this pandemic will unfold. We wait to see when life will return to a level of normalcy of what we once knew and to which we were accustomed.
Last night was another long night of no sleep and I got to thinking about what we’ve been going through and the significance of this day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. It’s a time of silence; a time of waiting. It’s not the first time that God’s people had to wait in silence nor would it be the last.
Having to wait, especially in today’s world, is not fun. We live in a microwave society; one that has built itself on instant gratification and instant results. The day that we are living in is causing many of us to readjust our lifestyles, slow down, and wait for it to pass. This season is also causing many to live in fear and uncertainty of what the future holds. I’m sure that on this Silent Saturday over 2,000 years ago, the disciples and followers of Christ had similar feelings of fear and uncertainty. The life they knew for 3 years and the Man they came to believe and trust was now gone. They had to readjust their lives. They probably thought it was over, but they didn’t know what we now know; Sunday is coming.
Waiting: This is the ground of spiritual growth because our natural inclination is to use God and not to trust God. Your actions in the waiting speak more of who you think God is rather than the words you speak with your mouth. I am guilty of this. The words from my mouth declare that I trust God, but my actions speak a different tune. Sometimes I just have to take a step back and remind myself that God is in control. Remember that God's timing is perfect and He has never failed in proving that to be true. Time after time, He proves His faithfulness.
As we wait for the world to go back to normal, as we wait for the promises of God to come in our life, as we wait for Sunday, always remember that the waiting is not wasting. Waiting on God will not disappoint. God is still working. His plan is still unfolding. Allow the waiting place to be a breeding ground for greater obedience, for deeper trust, for a more profound love. There's a lesson to be learned in the waiting. Just breathe and watch for the Resurrection that’s coming!
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning. (Psalm 130:5-6)
