Waiting on Promises

Over the past two weeks, I had two different people (who don't know each other) in two different circumstances tell me that they felt like they had a word from the Lord for me--they said the same thing.  This certainly made me sit up and take notice.  One person saying something is reason to pause and listen, but having it confirmed by someone else in a totally unrelated situation is reason to really pay attention.  

One of the first things I thought was, "What am I supposed to do about that?"  For what reason were these individuals given this insight to give to me?  Should I do something to help it along?  

A friend of mine reminded me of the passage in Genesis where Sarai offers Hagar to Abram, so that Abram will have an heir.  (An interesting side note is that this was also the Torah portion for the week, and I ended up leading a Bible study on it this weekend.)  Anyway, regarding the Sarai, Abram, and Hagar situation, I have commonly thought, "How could they be so silly?"  If God promised an heir, then He was going to do it.  However, looking at the timeline of the first promise of an heir to Abram until Isaac was born as at least 14 years.  That puts things in a slightly different light.  God's timeline is so different from ours. 

I don't know why God made Abraham wait so long for a promise that Abram probably perceived as happening immediately.   Perhaps Sarai and Abram thought that they needed to help it happen.  I can imagine them discussing this promise from God and saying, "Maybe God told us about having an heir, so we would try another approach to make it happen."  We don't know how long they waited before coming up with the Hagar plan, but it may have been a few years.

So, I write this to say that waiting for God to do what He has promised can be difficult--especially when we are so accustomed to getting things very quickly.  I need to remind myself to not try to get ahead of God with my ideas.  Perhaps God gives us a preview, so when it comes to pass, we will know it is was not just a fluke, but a carefully planned event from above. 


"And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."  (Hebrews 6:11-12 ESV)

The Truth

I just returned from a week trip on the East Coast to attend a conference. I must confess that I did my exercises the first day I was there, and then it was all down hill. I blamed it on the 3 hour time difference. It is true that my routine was thrown off by the time change and conference schedule, but it is also true that I could have just done them. During the last few days, I am feeling muscle tension and pain that I know is related to my lack of exercise.

I thought about not writing about this, and writing again only when I can say that I am back on track. But that wouldn't be real and admitting weakness. I don't want to slide into that rut again. Tomorrow is a new day.

Learning to Walk Again

These last two months have been a new kind of challenge for me.  I am relearning to walk.  That might sound silly from someone how has been moving on two feet for more than 30 years, but it is true.  I have not been able to walk biomechanically correct for most of my life.  I remember when my half-body cast was removed at age 7 after my legs had been immobile for 4 weeks.  The medical providers told me to go ahead and walk--easy for them to say.  I took two steps and collapsed due to insufficient muscle strength.  It was so scary.  Based on my short life experience, I didn't think I would be able to walk again.  I was terrified to try another step.  After about a week (and a memorable pep talk from my aunt), I figured out how to walk on two legs again without the help of crutches, but I developed some bad habits in order to compensate for muscle weakness and limited range of motion.

So 28 years later, after two months of physical therapy, I am able to walk more normally.  This is a huge deal for me.  I honestly had very little hope that my gait would change.  There were several reasons why I haven't been able to walk correctly:  one was that I didn't have the necessary range of motion in my hip, the second was that I didn't have enough muscle strength throughout the motion, and the third was learned behavior.  All of these hurdles are requiring perseverance (and pain) to work through. 

I am so thankful for an amazing physical therapist who has guided me through this process--as I do my exercises, I pray for the Lord to bless her.  I am very grateful to be improving in ways I didn't think were possible for me.

This whole process has reminded me that there is hope even when we do not see.  "Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience"  (Romans 8:24b-25).    "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."  (Hebrews 10:23)

Words Cannot Express

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to spend a couple days with three wonderful friends at the Oregon coast.  The weather and scenery were beautiful, and the company was fantastic.  There was a moment where the four of us sat on a park bench overlooking the Pacific Ocean as we talked about things the Lord was doing in our lives.  We shed a couple tears and sat in silence for a bit admiring God's creation and contemplating the vastness of His grace and love.  In that moment, I felt engulfed by the goodness of God, which is too marvelous for words.  And here I am, trying to write about something that words cannot adequately express.