Waiting

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

The beauty of the Alberta prairies in the winter months can be stunning. Trees which one season ago were stripped of their leaves by the changing winds of fall now stand stately and bare, bravely holding their ground against the frigid temperatures and barren ground. Snow doesn't fall often here in the arid farm lands of Alberta, but when it does the sight is glorious. Endless miles of stubble and prairie grass can look very dismal in the fall, but the splendour and beauty that graces them when the snow falls is simply amazing.

It blesses me so much to see a picture of God's purpose for my life through these simple things in nature. Father Nature touches His creation and gives a different beauty to each of His creatures season by season. Take a tree for example. Come spring, we all will revel in the fresh growth and buds of green that break forth into healthy, vibrant leaves. In summer, we will revel in her shade. When fall arrives we will delight in the palate of earth tones that spray forth from her branches. We will frolic in the leaves as they fall, and perhaps use them to decorate our home for Thanksgiving. But what of winter? What is the glory of the tree? To look at her she looks bare and cold, perhaps she may even appear to us as dead. Her only beauty comes from that which rests on her, that which is given her. The frost that hugs her branches shows the intricate beauty of her strength, for every little sprig on the tree is covered by six-pointed snow flakes that descend from chambers above. When the breeze meets these flakes, they fall to the ground in a dancing shower of diamonds. The tree could do nothing in and of itself to arrive at this state of grandeur - nothing - except to wait and be ready.

I once wrote a poem about waiting. It is something always relevant to life, though her tempo and fervency may indeed change, season by season. Oh how precious it is to have the privilege of serving the King of kings!! In each moment of our lives we have the glorious treasure of Emmanuel being by our side. We truly experience nothing alone – nothing.

While we wait on God in active service “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship” we also wait in patient dependence, for Him to direct and provide. Oh how great the longing when you are waiting! Longing for the Giver as well as for His gifts. The most glorious of all is that Father waits with us. His thoughts toward us are precious, and He loves to give good gifts to His children. He lives in us, and in Him we are to live on this earth. He loves to show His glory in our lives. Just like the beauty He paints on the tree season by season, so He paints a beauty in our lives season by season which brings glory to His name. Sometimes, the beauty is from ashes. Sometimes we may not see the beauty but as long as we are in His hand we can trust that He is making all things beautiful in its time.

"A gift, called, Waiting,
Given to children of the King,
For through it they will learn,
A reason why their God must sing.
The blessing of desire
Calls for a patient, holy grace,
The King longs for His own,
He watches them throughout the race.
His eyes behold each one,
As He fashions beauty within,
And this fuels His longing,
As for Him each one seeks to win.

His love is set on us,
And mercy – mercy is the seal,
Set upon hearts in time,
The ache eternity will heal.
This gift we're called to share
With an omniscient, holy God,
The one who made our hearts
Can keep them on this sod.
In Him we can delight,
When we seek His kingdom first,
He extends grace and hope,
While after His purpose we thirst."
EBC 12-2-06