October 23rd, 2013

Isaiah 40:31 — But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I’m happy to say I traveled home today. Sometimes travel is essential, but I’m never at my happiest when Myra and I are apart. Sometimes, too, no matter how worthy the objective or splendid the destination (and many of them are not so splendid!), the actual business of traveling is tedious. Today, for instance, I spent almost as much time waiting in airports as I did on the move. My mind turned to this question of “waiting”, and this very familiar text from Isaiah.

I have to admit that I wish that I hadn’t been prompted on this topic, because as it unfolded itself to me, it turned into a rebuke!

Waiting, it seems to me, joins “death and taxes” as one of the inevitable experiences of life. The question is not “shall we wait?” but “how shall we wait?” Sometimes my waiting at airports can be a little aimless, sometimes it has some value, sometimes it’s productive, and sometimes it’s a downright blessing.

Today, waiting at Nashville was truly just a filling in of a few brief minutes waiting to board. Clearing airport security took a surprisingly long time, so there wasn’t much real “waiting” time. At Charlotte, where we had a 90-minute layover it was different. I had time to make a pretty productive phone call, and catch up with some email — so that might be called productive. Sometimes, not as often as I would like, the waiting is an obvious blessing — perhaps I have a chance to talk with someone about Jesus, or my mind settles to prayer. All to often, though, my waiting is a little aimless — some wandering around, a snack, some light reading … not really productive, and not really restful either.

Now, how about those who “wait upon The Lord”? Of course I have to admit that when Isaiah says “wait”, he’s really talking of something different from what I’ve been talking about. He’s really talking about those who put their hope, their reliance, in God. In New Testament times the phrase can fairly be applied to those who seek The Lord Jesus Christ. They will fly above all circumstances, they will move quickly when they need to, and they will have all the endurance they need.

The two trains of thought do connect, however. It seemed to me as I thought on this topic that as I waited — for my flight, or for anything else — I should remember where my hope comes from, and who I rely on. It seems that I should build that habit of mind and, as I build it, it should encourage me to be more inclined to seek The Lord in “down time”. Wasted waiting time can never be reclaimed. I need to turn more of it into blessed time!