“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary…” Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
The Israelites waited 40 torturous years to get to the Promised Land. The church community now waits 40 long days of Lent to celebrate Easter, the resurrection of Christ and the pinnacle of joy each year. And, of course, we have waited 2026 years…and wait some more…for the Lord to return to us as He promised. Wow, that’s a lot of waiting!
How to Wait on the Lord
Waiting can make us anxious, fearful, sad, and even angry at times. We wait for important news, babies to be born, health diagnoses, loved ones to get well, goals to be fulfilled, vacations or events, rewards to be won, dreams to come true… let’s face it, the waiting process is hard. I am waiting for certain relationships to heal, my dream of making a movie based on my novel to become a reality, and yes, the Lord to come already! But waiting on the Lord can be an important and even enjoyable time if we learn HOW to wait on the Lord.
Live in Awe and Wonder
My husband and I got the opportunity for a little pre-Spring Break and visited Tucson, Arizona. While there, we went to Mass at the San Xavier Del Bac Mission San Xavier del Bac Mission, founded in 1692 by Jesuit missionary Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, SJ who traveled extensively in the region to spread Catholicism and foster peace among Indigenous communities. It’s located on the reservation of the Tohono O’odham Nation in Tucson and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, is Arizona’s oldest European structure and a masterpiece of Spanish Colonial architecture, and is a pilgrimage site for people all over the world today. Now, we could have been disappointed the stunning facade of the church was partially covered due to its ongoing renovation…and waited until another time to visit. But it was still breathtakingly beautiful and such a spiritual experience. Not to mention we would have missed the message…
Stay in Service, Not Focused on “Me”
Overtaken not only by the historic signficance and beauty of the church, but hanging on every word of the priest’s homily (it was packed with people of course) about the blind man given sight by Jesus, I heard the Lord say I should focus on being a servant. I know I have often let my pride shine a little too brightly as an author, speaker and now movie producer. But it all means nothing if I’m not serving God and others first. I need to reverse my priorities and remind myself every day that it’s not all about me and my creature comforts. It’s about the world around me…which is exhilarating, challenging, and changing all the time, needing my attention…and my talents, my gifts, my wisdom, my service.
Meanwhile, Follow His Footsteps
Living this way, staying in the moment, not being anxious about tomorrow as Jesus advises us, I can let go of my waiting, worries, expectations, etc. I can take life one day at a time, following His instructions each morning as I pray and meditate…letting go of my impatience and setting my heart, mind and soul free to life life to its fullest, in community with others, doing His will. Yes, one day…and none of us knows when…Jesus will come again! He promised us He would! And one day I will get to heaven, or His Kingdom on earth, and will finally meet Him, and all will be well. In that we can all rest assured as long as we believe.
Dear Lord, help me to choose to live each day to the fullest, not waiting in worry nor wasting my time thinking about what may or may not happen in the future, nor expecting outcomes over which I have no control. Help me to realize I really don’t have to spend time and effort waiting at all!
