One of my last blogs was about hope. The problem with hope is it involves ‘longing.’ And longing carries a certain kind of pain. It takes a lot of trust to long.
I know so many persons who shut that kind of pain down long ago, because it hurt too much to keep hope alive. I, too, have been numbered among them.
Hebrews 11:1 says that Faith is confident expectation of what I long for, and assurance of what I do not see. WOW. I ask myself often in this journey – how much of that do I have? It’s quite the test of who I’ve become in my long walk with God.
Put in other words, Hebrews 4:1-2 describes the goal of trusting faith as “The leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness.” This explains the HOW– it’s based on the WHO we are leaning on.
So the very heart of this journey is:. IS. GOD. TRUST-WORTHY?
I remember one of my early ‘faith lessons’ when I was just a teen. I had gone on a mission trip for the summer, and the local team planned a reunion by the sea. That day it was scheduled to rain (shocker in Wa. State!). But we all asked God for sunshine – and I dared to hope! I was the only one who brought shorts – with a confident expectation of what we could not yet see. As we met, the clouds began to part … and it became a beautiful, warm afternoon… and no one else was prepared – but me!
Granted, those stakes were not so high.
They are higher now.
But the principle is the same.
The pain of longing is the fear of disappointment. And many (most?) of us have had enough of that, haven’t we? In recent years, I told a friend that I think I’ve become ‘allergic to disappointment.’ It’s like if I experience one more disappointment, I might not live through it. Allergic reactions are like that. One of my brother-in-laws is allergic to bees. Very. The last time he got stung, 3 bees got him at once. He barely made it to the hospital in time, even with an epipen on hand!
But God insists when we put our trust and hope IN HIM, we will not end up disappointed.
Isaiah 64:4
These amazing things
Had never been heard of before;
You did things never dreamed of!
No one perceived your greatness
No eye has ever seen a God like You
Who intervenes on behalf of
those who WAIT and LONG for you!
This scripture implies waiting with trusting anticipation (longing). To ‘wait on God’ [Hebrew word chakah] means to tie, twist, bind, entwine [like making a rope]. Waiting on God is never passive, it is binding our hearts together as I waaaaaaait for God’s plan to unfold.
Then there’s this:
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord
Who entwine their hearts with Yahweh
Will experience divine strength.
They will rise up on soaring wings
And fly like eagles,
Run their race without growing weary,
And walk through life without giving up.
It all depends on Whom we wait … and where we are directing our longing. This pain is developing something costly – an irreplaceable substance within us. We will not end up ashamed for our longing. God will not disappoint us. As they say:
It will be alright in the end.
If it’s not alright
It’s not the end.
Oh God,
Grant me the heart to wait;
Calm my fear to keep longing
For what I don’t yet see.
Be my strength,
Direct my pain,
Draw me closer to your heart
Until you and me are entwined
As one.
This is what I am made for.
You are my safe place,
My security…
And because you ARE
So powerful,
So wise,
And so good…
I can confidently hope…
Continue to loooong…
Assured
Of what I do not yet see.
Thank You that THIS
Is going to turn out SO WELL…
Because YOU ARE SO GOOD.
Psalm 25:3
How could anyone be disgraced
When he has entwined his heart with you?
Psalm 31:24
Wait for him to break through for you,
all who trust in him!
Entangle your heart with His heart
and HIS GOOD PURPOSES toward you!
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made
EVERYTHING
BEAUTIFUL
In it’s time!
