Dear Saints,
Sorry for the long silence but it does take a while to regain a fresh motivation and inspiration to write something decent. It's something I have been thinking about the last few months. Waiting daily for things to happen and for good news to come seems like a real waste of time. (to a lot of friends and well wishers) Sitting at home and resting seems like a waste time too so waiting is not a fun thing to do. It's hard to imagine, for those who knows me, that I am actually not travelling or preaching. However as I looked back in time I realised that while growing up in Singapore as a kid waiting was an everyday part of life. Since becoming an adult things have changed since society have created a new world order of instantaneous results and immediate needs met by advance technology that produces instant food and instant cash. So we have gotten used to the immediate response and a quick and swift answer to all our questions about things and whatever else we so desire. Patience is no longer a virtue. Come to think of it I just got upset yesterday while "waiting" to see an eye specialist to follow up on my eye surgery. The nurse somehow sat on my documents and failed to pass it on to the specialist concerned. Another evidence of the folly of unrealistic expectation.
Since discovering and treating my nose cancer I have received many disheartened looks from many friends and relatives whose sympathy gave the idea that my immobility and inactivity seems wasted time. "Waiting" for my treatment to be over and for God to heal me quickly or immediately, after much prayer seems like a painful defeat. Some may have felt that I got depressed because of my sudden change of pace, inactivity and immobility. 6 months went by and it seems like nothing was happening with life and everything have come to a standstill...is this true? In the mind and perception of most average person or Christian this is probably true if we are just waiting for self-fulfilment, self-satisfaction, self-assurance or building our self image. Our inactivity and immobility seems to us totally unproductive and unfulfilled. This is because we are looking more towards what "I" am doing, what have "I" accomplished and why am "I" stuck here for six months? Because of our growing need for recognition and building our SELFimage we have become dependent on what WE can do and what WE can show to the world. In regard to our performance we must therefore not be seen to be wasting time and unaccomplished. So we live to please and impress the world rather than pleasing God. Therefore waiting is not a game we like to play. Waiting has somehow been removed from our vocabulary.
However when I look at scripture the Lord seems to say something else, like, They that "WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength" (Isa 40:31). " Be still before the Lord and Wait patiently for Him" (Ps. 37:7). "Wait for the Lord and keep to His way" (Ps.37:34). "Be still and know that I am God"(Ps 46:10). "Be still and see the salvation of the Lord" (Ex.14:13). Being still and waiting is not aimless if it's before the Lord that we are being still and it is for the Lord that we are waiting. I discovered that while I am not doing anything it doesn't mean God is doing nothing either. While waiting for the Lord I know that it doesn't mean that He is disorganised and and is not too good with His timing. In my case I realise that He wants to renew and restore my health and my strength by giving me the rest that I needed and to take time to see and to hear what He actually wants to do and is doing. I have been running almost non stop for the last 32 years and the Lord in His mercy and grace have somehow able to slow me down, which is not a bad thing.
This is the time to rest in the Lord and to be restored in the vision the Lord has prepared for me for the near and immediate future. Its time to "Be still and know that He is God". Waiting is generally God's way of getting our attention to stop what WE are doing and saying and to start to hear and see what HE is saying, what HE is doing and wants to do in and through our lives. Pray with me that the Lord will grant us the grace to wait upon Him to accomplished His purpose and be totally glorified as He so deserve. For to Him is the glory, the honour and the praise forever and ever. Amen.
-Kenny Gan
No comments:
Post a Comment