Lady-In-Waiting

This post is partly in response to my bloggy friend Amy's post, "What I learned this season." I'd love for you to share too, what you're learning. It's rich stuff.

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3

I am a lady in waiting. Come to think of it, I don't think I know of any of my friends that aren't.

Waiting for babies
waiting for a home
waiting for a job
waiting for a husband
waiting for peace
waiting....

I've never been much for waiting. But I look back over the last 20 years of my life and I see that I've been doing just that. Waiting.

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14

Not surprisingly, when I look back I also see that it's in the waiting that I've grown. Well, waiting and in pain & grief. (I'll take waiting anyday) And in the waiting, I turn to God over and over because I know He holds the future in his hand.

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20

....and I want to lean into God. I want to be seeking manna from God every day. He's asked that I hang close to Him. When I'm waiting, it's easy to stay close to God, waiting with expectation for what He's got up His sleeve.

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

So I'm going to keep waiting, & do so hoping in God. You wouldn't believe how much crazy peace I have after I spend the morning with Him. I say crazy peace, I don't think I should have any peace at all, but God gives that to me. Have you experienced that? The real 'peace that passes understanding?' The waiting part hurts, a little for me. I'm up and down, sometimes trusting and in peace and sometimes feeling nervous and wanting to try and take control by worrying it to death, but I'm finding that more and more the hoping in Him wins out because the peace, it's like a light hearted-ness that I don't even have when life is....unwaiting.

I'm 35. Halfway to 70. If I'm learning it a little more now, then maybe when I'm 70 I can just sit back and wait with a big grin on my wrinkly face and wait with the fullest expectation, all the years of answers behind me.

And this is my new favorite scripture, I can't get it out of my head;
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17.

So I hope this encourages you if you're waiting. Waiting for enough cash to pay the bills, for wisdom in parenting that tricky child, for knowing just how to comfort a friend, or for the answers of what to do next. Whatever your waiting for, I hope you can hope in God...and remember that He is mighty to save. He delights in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing...

If that's not enough to keep you going give me a call or drop a line because I want to be praying for your wait.