GPBC Blog

In the fall of 2022, the Lord startled me with a word. It was one of those quiet, yet clear, ways he speaks that leave you in no doubt he has spoken. The startling thing was not that he had spoken, but what he said. I remember thinking, “Really?” A few days after this encounter, I casually shared this thought with my husband Jack and to my surprise, the Lord had given him a similar impression a few weeks prior. We were both a little giddy with excitement at having the Lord confirm his words through the other. We decided to confide in a few close friends who have journeyed with us over the years and were encouraged further by their reflections and affirmations.

We then proceeded to live with great expectation amid lots of conversations about what this might look like. Well, it’s been almost four years since that unexpected whispering of the Lord and things have not materialized in the timeline we had in mind. We keep checking in with each other and the promises that God gave individually and collectively and are still convinced that yes, the Lord DID say such and such.

Waiting on God is difficult especially when he doesn’t show up when and how you expected him to show up. We have been reflecting on Abraham and Sarah as they waited first for 11 years after God’s grand promise of a “great nation” led them to leave their family and home. These 11 years started off with great fanfare when Abraham built an alter to the Lord who had appeared to him saying, “to your offspring I will give this land.” As the waiting drug on, God showed up at different times to remind Abraham of the promise and add more details to the promise. It’s easy to see why after a while they thought maybe they might be missing something, and God needed their help. They came up with a plan and Ishmael was born. We don’t hear God speaking to either Abraham or Sarah for another 13 years. And when he shows up, it is with words of encouragement, “walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you…” Gen 17:1.

While we don’t read of any condemnation for Abraham and Sarah, we do read of the pain and brokenness they each endured for taking matters into their own hands. Two other lives were impacted as a result of not “walking before the Lord.” Genesis 21:2 is an amazing verse about God’s timing. “Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the very time God had promised him…” God who made the promise, knew exactly what time the child of promise would be born. Not a day earlier and not a day later. This exact timing was unknown to Abraham and Sarah.
 
As another year draws to a close for us and God is not fitting into our time plan, I am reminded of Sarah’s response when God did show up. “God has brought me laughter and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me” Gen 21:6. I am reminded that just like Abraham and Sarah, we did not start this conversation. God did. And since it was his idea, we can rest in the assurance that he will show up. When he shows up and how he shows up will indeed be “the very time” that he had planned all along. And we will laugh at the ridiculousness of it because it will be so very much in keeping with our God who is a God of faithfulness, without injustice, good and marvelous in every way.

So, if you find yourself in a season of waiting for God to show up for something you have laid before him, may your heart posture be that of Ps. 5:3: “…O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

My prayer for myself and for you is Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait (hope) in the Lord will renew their strength…they will walk and not be faint.”

Expect God to show up, because He will. And when he does, others will share in your joy at his faithfulness to you.