WAITING FOR SUMMER

Tonight in our Bible study on -Wait Training we took some light- hearted steps into our past and talked about summer, how, when we were little, we couldn’t wait for summer!

Couldn’t wait for the freedom of riding bikes all over the neighborhood.

Couldn’t wait for the neighborhood pool to open where we spent hours every day.

Couldn’t wait for family vacation because then we had Daddy’s undivided attention!

Couldn’t wait for the yearly trip to the beach.

Couldn’t wait for Grandma to arrive with favorite cousins in tow.

Couldn’t wait for the family reunion in the mountains when all the kids stayed in one cabin.

Couldn’t wait ‘til summer camp with bon fires and capture the flag competitions.

Couldn’t wait for the freedom of choosing books out of the library and reading them because we wanted to, not because they were requited reading.

What about your summers? What memories do you have of the break in routine, yet the regularity with which you passed the long lazy days?

Summertime is full of anticipation when we wait happily for all the fun and adventurous activities.

But what if what you are waiting for holds no joy. What if you are waiting for something to happen and it seems it may never take place. What if you are waiting for a child to understand the errors of her ways. What if you don’t have a job and the money in your savings account is dwindling. How does one wait for a job to come through? What if a loved one has a scary diagnosis. The results have not ben revealed

Waiting is one of lifes biggest challenges. None of us likes to wait! What if…

-you got in line at the amusement park and announced, “ I love waiting in these long lines!”

-you told your teenager at three in the morning after she has come home, “Honey I am so glad you kept me up tonight. I love waiting up for you!”

-you jumped up and down for joy when you called the air conditioner man and he announced it would be two weeks before he could repair your AC-in the summer!

How do you wait? Have you ever heard these words, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice.” When waiting, can you rejoice?

The key to waiting gracefully is to rejoice in the midst of your circumstances. God has allowed the time trial to happen, now it is time to allow the trial to strengthen and build.

Next time you find yourself struggling with “wait” open your mouth and praise God. You will see that by a miraculously divine design your wait will lift. Let’s not focus on the difficulty. Let’s put our hope in God and look to Him as the source of our joy!

I know Job, Jeremiah,Paul and Silas faced horrible circumstances: loss of everything, exile, and imprisonment. Yet, each one emerged a stronger and better person. Let's take the challenge: the next time a wait threatens to crush and destroy, let's praise God, fall down and worship Him.