Thursday Devotional - Times of Waiting

What are we to do while we wait on God’s answers and/or His timing?

As we saw last week, Jesus (just before His ascension) told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit. However, he didn’t tell them where to wait, what to do in the meantime or how long the wait would be.  

Acts 1:12-14  ¹² Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. ¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

In obedience to Jesus, the disciples waited in Jerusalem. They did the best thing they could do while waiting – they prayed! Maybe they prayed for patience, guidance and next steps. God did give them patience to wait and not run ahead! It appears He also guided their immediate next step - to get organized (as they prayerfully replaced Judas (Acts 1:15-26)).

God provides guidance while waiting.

As Joe and I prayed and waited for God’s answers about children, He helped us continue what He had already called us to do - responsibilities at church and in our community, BSF leadership, etc.

Where else do you and I need to trust God’s intentions and purposes, while waiting on His answers and timing? What instruction do you and I need to follow, even though we don’t know or understand what’s next?

Let’s be prayerful as we wait and listen carefully for His guidance on the next small step.  

Alice

Thursday Devotional - If He'd Only Waited

Have you ever told a child (or yourself) “If you’d only waited…”?

I know I have many times!

God specifically told Joshua and the Israelites not to take any plunder from Jericho when He delivered it into their hands. As we saw last week, Achan disobeyed and took things anyway. He brought destruction on himself, his whole family and other Israelites. If he had only waited, God told Joshua they could take plunder from the next battle!!

Joshua 8:1-3, 27-28            Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. ² You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

³ So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night… 

²⁷ But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua. ²⁸ So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day. 

Where do you and I need to be obedient and wait? Maybe there is something we really want and haven’t gotten yet. I can’t say for sure we will get what we want by waiting, but I can say for sure that if we disobediently go after something it won’t end well. Going ahead of God’s plans and His timing never works. It may bring temporary happiness (a few days for Achan) but not lasting joy.

Let’s remember Achan the next time you and I want to make something happen or have something now. God knows best. We can ask for His help to wait. We can seek His plans and timing.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Worship While Waiting

Are you still waiting for God to fulfill something He’s promised? Or, are you still waiting for an answer from Him about something you’ve prayed about for years? What are you and I doing while we wait?

Let’s see what Abraham did while he waited…

Romans 4:18-21            “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”  Romans 4:18-21

Abraham didn’t pout or wallow in disappointment. He didn’t weaken in faith or waver in unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith while he waited! He didn’t blame God or get angry with God, but gave glory to God!!!

Worshiping God in “bad” times and difficult situations can be hard. The more we are fully persuaded that God is all-powerful and sovereign over everything, the easier it is. God used our wait for children to grow me in this area.

So, when most of our basement flooded last week with water continually coming up through the floor with no where to go (while the sump pump ran non-stop), I was able to stop and praise God. I praised Him for who He is, knowing He is sovereign, in control and has power over everything. I could trust Him to help us, guide us and get us through. I then thanked Him for what I did like about our house 😉 and that we had a roof over our head! God then helped me put things in perspective, realizing it could be a whole lot worse. He also reminded me of some of the things I take for granted.   

How will you and I remember to stop and worship God in good times and bad or while waiting? He’s always worthy of our worship!!!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part X - Opportunities while Waiting

After keeping James and Sarah over spring break last year, we were even more eager to expedite the process of having them placed in our home. After our additional rounds of background checks and interviews cleared, the adoption agency worked with us to get our adoption application filed with the State. We were told that could take some time for the State to approve us as the adoptive family, but once they did approve, the kids would need to transfer homes immediately and then there would still be a 6 month trial period. 

Not knowing when we would be approved, the adoption agency asked the current foster family if they would agree to transfer the foster placement ahead of time so that we could all plan for a set day. Surprisingly they agreed, and June 18^th was set as the official transfer day (the day before Father’s Day). To help with the transition, we gradually increased our length of respite care for the 6 weeks leading up to June 18^th.  After each extra-long weekend with the kids, it got harder and harder to say goodbye and return them to their current foster family.

As we tried to patiently wait for June 18^th, God gave us opportunities to use our last few weeks without permanent children to spend time with extended family out of state. We visited my 92 year old grandfather in Texas, Joe’s family in Ohio, and I visited my sister and her husband and new baby in Virginia. (It ended up being my last visit with my grandfather, as he passed in July.)  

Similarly, as we wait for our day of transfer to Heaven, God has things for us to do. We aren’t to get impatient or frustrated or give up and sit around doing nothing while we wait.

John 14:1-4, 12, 15 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.” …  ¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father…¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. 

Are you anxiously anticipating Heaven? Joining Jesus in Heaven will be the most exciting day ever! As we wait, how are you and I wisely using our time here on earth in preparation for that day? 

Alice

Thurs Devo: No More Delay!

I’ve been on several delayed flights recently. The worst one caused me to miss a connecting flight. The most frustrating part was that I received notification that my connecting flight was also delayed, but it ended up leaving on time (and without the 5 of us from my first flight)! I also received over a dozen notifications about changes to the departure time of the first flight. I understand weather delays can’t be avoided, but clear and accurate communication would be helpful. It’s stressful waiting, especially when the information given to us isn’t reliable.

God won’t keep changing times on us. He will accomplish His purposes and plans fully and we can trust Him to follow through.

Revelation 10:5-7     ⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

God’s given us the Bible which is full of His plans. We don’t have to be in the dark about the future. We can know the “mystery” of God as we read and study His Word. He’s given us exactly what He knows we need to be adequately prepared.

Do you and I truly believe God created everything, cares for everything, and has a master plan? If so, how are we taking advantage of the resources He’s given to us to know His plans for the future? The better we know His truths, the more we will experience peace while we wait. 

Alice