Waiting Wisely

INTRODUCTION

Life is about a series or sequence of waits. There are a number of things we will wait for in our journey of life. We keep moving from one season or chapter of waiting, to another season or chapter of waiting. For example, if you just took an exam, you are waiting for your results to come out. If you are not married, you are waiting for the day you get married. If you are married and don’t have a child, you are waiting and looking forward to the day you have children of your own. If you are unemployed, you are waiting for the day you are offered a good job. For those employed or in business, you are waiting for a better job or for bigger contracts and clients. And for every believer, we are waiting for the day we will meet face to face with Jesus Christ, our Lord, Saviour, Redeemer and King.

SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM WAITS

We have established that we all have something we are waiting for. Now let’s look at the duration or time frame for some of the things we have to wait for. Some waits are short term or for a short interval while some are long term; they last for a longer period. For instance, waiting for a bus or taxi to take you somewhere is a short term wait. So also is waiting to pick your child from school, waiting at a petrol station queue to buy fuel, waiting at the ATM machine. In John 4, when Jesus was going through Samaria, Jesus was tired from His journey and sat down at a well to rest. The time between when Jesus sat down at the well to rest and when he continued His journey, was a short interval. It was a short term wait, but within that short period, Jesus was able to affect, impact and transform the life of the Samaritan woman at well. This goes to show that God wants us to use our waiting period wisely.

The period between the time Abraham and Sarah got married and the time they had their son Isaac was a long interval. This was a long term wait (Genesis 11:29-30, Genesis 15:1-4, Genesis 21:1-2). Joseph waited for 13 years before he saw the fulfilment of the dream he had when he was 17 years old. This was another long term wait. Joseph didn’t spend his waiting period daydreaming. He used that time wisely to strengthen his relationship with God, to develop and utilise the skills and gifts God blessed him with (Genesis 39:1-4, Genesis 39:21-23, Genesis 40:6-22, Genesis 41:14-49).

When Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us to be careful how we live not as unwise but wise and that we should redeem the time; we should make the most of every opportunity, it means even when waiting, whether it’s waiting for a bus or waiting to see the fulfilment of the promises God has given us, we must wait wisely; we must make the best use of our waiting period.

THE CERTAINTY OF JESUS’ COMING

Today, we will be focusing on waiting wisely for the Lord; waiting wisely for the coming of the Lord. Of all the things we are waiting for, this is one event that is certain to happen. I cannot say with 100% certainty that everyone waiting for a spouse will get married. I can’t also say that everyone that has applied for a visa and is waiting for the visa will get the visa. This is not being negative; this is not a lack of faith. The reality of life is that not everyone will get everything they are waiting for. Even scriptures tells us that some of the great heroes of faith though they had God’s approval through their faith, they did not receive the fulfilment of what they were waiting for (Hebrews 11:39). The one thing that is certain out of all the things we are waiting for is that Jesus will come back again, and that’s what I would want to focus on in this message.

In Acts 1:9-11, when Jesus ascended to heaven in full view of His disciples after His resurrection from the dead, His disciples were staring into the sky in amazement, then two angles came up to them and asked them why they were staring into the sky like something strange or unbelievable had happened. They made it clear to the disciples that the same way Jesus has been taken up to heaven, is the same way He will come back. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, Paul said he doesn’t need to start writing to us about times and dates, which date and time Jesus will come. We should just know in our hearts that the day will certainly come. So there’s no dispute, no controversy, no confusion, no question about Jesus’ coming. Jesus will come back. The important thing is for us to wait wisely for His return.