Category: Life & Lessons

A Pregnancy Delayed (Overtures from the Advent-ures of Jesus Christ Part 1)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Most people the world over know of the existence of Jesus Christ. Far fewer know about John the Baptist—His forerunner and prophet. An amazing story describes this great man’s birth.

Delayed Prayers Do Not Equate with Unrighteous Character

To begin his gospel, the Apostle Luke says, “In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old” (Luke 1:5-7 NIV).

The first lesson that can be learned from the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth is that the prayers of righteous people can be frustrated. Even Jesus Himself, the most righteous being who’s ever existed, received a “No” from God. When He uttered the words “may this cup be taken from me” (Matthew 26:39 NIV), He spoke of His righteous desire to avoid separation from His heavenly Father. Yet the Father still executed the judgment we deserved upon His Son.

A prayer delayed—or denied—does not always point to hidden sin.

Delayed Prayers Do Not Equate with Unanswered Prayers

But even if a prayer is delayed far longer than we expect it to be, that does not mean the prayer will remain unanswered. Luke 1:13 says, “But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John’” (Luke 1:13 NIV).

As young children wait for Christmas to come, the passage of time feels excruciatingly long to them. But as the days pass, their sense of anticipation doesn’t wane. It waxes stronger because they know that Christmas Day will come.

We should practice the same childlike behavior as we wait on God, trusting that each day doesn’t take us further from fulfillment but closer, no matter how long we wait.

Delayed Prayers Do Not Equate with Ill-Timed Answers

When the angel told Zechariah that his wife would bear a son, he asked, “‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.’ The angel said to him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time’” (Luke 1:18-20 NIV).

Zechariah had given up on his prayer long ago. His disbelief ran so deep that the prophecy of a holy angelic being was not enough to dispel his doubt. The season for a having a son, it seemed, had passed.

But God didn’t share his conclusion. John the Baptist’s miraculous birth foreshadowed Jesus’ impossible conception. And the ministry of John the Baptist paved the way for Jesus’ saving work (Luke 1:76). John the Baptist didn’t arrive a day late; he came right on time.

Conclusion

God may not give us the victory we believe we deserve at the time we want. But “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their prayer” (1 Peter 3:12 NIV). He will come through, now or later.

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

(Habakkuk 2:3 NIV)

The Foolish, Faithful Faith of Abraham

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Many of us are in a season of waiting right now. We’ve just finished Thanksgiving, and we’re trying to hang on until Christmas. We’ve been following the election cycle, and we’re anxiously seeking the end of this extended conundrum. We’re yearning for 2021 and its promise of a vaccine.

Abraham, the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, was no stranger to waiting. It defined his life. At the ripe old age of seventy-five, God promised him that he’d become a father of many nations (Genesis 17:5-6). Yet it wasn’t until Abraham reached the grave-knocking age of one hundred that God gave him his son Isaac.

The Foolishness of Faith

True faith will often look ridiculous to those who don’t believe. The Apostle Paul said Abraham “did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body to be already dead (since he was about a hundred years old) and also the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19 CSB).

Now that we’ve seen the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, it can be easy to diminish the sheer craziness of his faith. By the time God promised him he’d have a son, he was already old enough to be a grandfather. Stories must have abounded of the crazy, rich nomad that somehow thought his creaky wife would give birth to a son before they both kicked the bucket. Their whole family carried the shame and disgrace of believing in a vision from some little-known God that no one else worshiped at the time. Genuine faith often only looks reasonable in hindsight.

The Faithfulness of Faith

The Apostle Paul goes on to say about Abraham, “He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to do” (Romans 4:20-21 CSB). Faith hangs on. It takes it stand on the sure foundation of God’s promise even as the waters rise to its throat. It believes God when He says He knows a guy who can walk on water (Matthew 14:22-33).

The Fulfillment of Faith

Summing up the fulfillment of this righteous man’s faith, the author of Hebrews says, “And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Hebrews 11:12 NIV). Abraham lay hold of the promise God gave to him because he held on to God. He suffered the shame, endured the wait, and embraced glory and joy unimaginable because he had faith. The question remains if we’ll have the patience to receive our own Isaac.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.”

(Hebrews 11:1-2 ESV)

Big Problems, Bigger God

By Ife J. Ibitayo

It’s been more than six months since I wrote about my “Petty Problems”. Since then, my problems have grown tremendously. I’ve struggled with throat-constricting anxiety, debilitating stress, and crippling loneliness. I’ve been examined by an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist, and a psychologist. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’m like a mountaineer climbing Mount Everest who had his feet sliced off and his legs shattered.

As I continue to drag myself up this unending mountain, head buried in the frigid snow, the LORD sent me this verse: “He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3 CSB)

Point of Humbling

The word translated “humbled” in this verse is the Hebrew word “anah”, meaning to be brought low. To be humbled is to be forced from a position of strength to a posture of submission, from sufficiency to need.

Apostle Paul said “we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV). As my life unraveled before my eyes, I came to cherish these words. Affliction has weighed down my back but hasn’t crushed me. My circumstances have confused me, but God has rescued me from despair. I’ve been battered time and time again, but here I stand all because of His “surpassing power”.

Point of Waiting

I’ve seen the necessity of relying on God’s word alone. God’s promises and character have proven to be far better barometers for the future than what I can see in my day to day life. Just as I know that researchers are working on a vaccine to cure coronavirus but can only see the death count spiking in our nation, I know that God is working all things together for my good (Romans 8:28), even when I can only see my mounting suffering.

If I want to make it till tomorrow, I can’t depend on what my eyes can see today. I have to view reality through lenses of faith.

Conclusion

I cannot promise myself that “everything will turn out okay”. I don’t know if my worries of today will become reality tomorrow or be dispelled with the new year. All I can do is wait. My problems are big and growing by the week, but my God is even bigger. And I still believe in Him.

“I believed, even when I said, ‘I am severely oppressed.’”

(Psalm 116: 10 CSB)

The Quenching Tsunami and the Purifying Fire (Broken Hallelujah Pt. 4)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “A Foundation of Rejoicing and Regret”, click here; Part 2 on “Expecting Much but Finding Little”, click here; Part 3 on “A Tearful Thanksgiving”, click here.

The book of Psalms is the Christian poster child of the Thanksgiving season. These poems have greatly cheered my soul and contain rich wisdom for us during this holiday season.

A Faithful God

In Psalm 89, a psalmist named Ethan the Ezrahite extols the faithfulness of God: “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations…. ‘I have found David My servant; with My sacred oil I have anointed him… I will maintain My love to him forever, and My covenant with him will never fail’” (Psalm 89:1, 20, 28 NIV).

The psalmist rejoiced in the LORD’s unchanging character. God promised that He’d be with the Israelites and with their king, David. He vowed they’d be His people and He’d be their God forever (2 Samuel 7:24).

A Quenching Tsunami

Yet the psalmist’s joy was quenched by the harsh tsunami of reality: “But You have rejected, You have spurned, You have been very angry with Your anointed one…How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire…Lord, where is Your former great love, which in Your faithfulness You swore to David” (Psalm 89:38, 46, 49 NIV)?

Many of us may share this same sentiment. We live in a nation known for the blessing of the LORD, yet America is being ravaged by a resurgent virus. God seems to be pouring out His wrath full blast upon us. Where is His right hand of blessing, His strong arm of salvation, the comfort of His presence? Where is His faithfulness?

A Healing Punishment

Bridging the psalmist’s song of praise and his lament of sorrow are these four verses: “If his children forsake My law and do not walk according to My rules, if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him My steadfast love or be false to My faithfulness” (Psalm 89:30-33 ESV).

Discipline is never welcome. A child will never thank their parents for being grounded, and a driver will never thank a cop for a speeding ticket. But its these very punishments that can heal our destructive habits. Judgment can sometimes be the only way to save us from ourselves.

Conclusion

Psalm 89 ends with “Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen” (Psalm 89:52 NIV). These words may seem misplaced, but they are truly fitting. The end result of a lesson well learned should be gratitude. The fire of discipline may be agonizing, but there is a bright future ahead for those who endure the flame.

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, ‘My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.’”

(Hebrews 12:5-6 NLT)

A Tearful Thanksgiving (Broken Hallelujah Pt. 3)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “A Foundation of Rejoicing and Regret”, click here. For Part 2 on “Expecting Much but Finding Little”, click here.

With Thanksgiving coming in a couple weeks, many positive scriptures are rightly on people’s minds. Verses like “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b) pop up in our “Verse of the Day” apps. And we find ourselves repeating these words without grasping the original context in which they were spoken.

Background

The LORD had restored the exiles to their homeland of Jerusalem. They had just finished reconstructing their city’s protective wall. But the returnees were few in number and homeless (Nehemiah 7:4). It was the beginning of the Israelites’ holiday season, the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. But here they were living in ruin, far from their friends and families still in exile.

New Year

The first day of the seventh month is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. As the Jews stepped into a new year, they sought the LORD’s will.  “[A]ll the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel… He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:1,3 NIV).

As we step into a new year, a new presidency, and a new phase of this pandemic, we need God’s word more than ever before. The book of Psalms says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105 NLT). As we venture into new territory, it’d be wise to not journey in the dark.

Fresh Tears

The book of Nehemiah goes on to say, “All the people wept as they heard the words of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:9b ESV). Simply hearing the word of God is not enough. The hearts of the Israelites were clearly moved by the message Ezra read to them. When was the last time you wept while reading the Bible? When was the last time the living Word challenged you to change the way you live your life? When was the last time Holy Scripture pierced you to your very core?

Conclusion

As the Israelites wept, Nehemiah encouraged them with the words, “‘Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!’…So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them’” (Nehemiah 8:10,12 NLT).

As we prepare to fill our bellies with delicious grub, we must approach the dinner table aright. Let’s weep over the ashes of our nation decimated by disease. Let’s acknowledge how far we’ve fallen short of God’s holy standard.  But let’s also find joy in the strength of our LORD and rejoice mightily before Him.

“Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’ But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.”

(Psalm 3:2-3 NKJV)

Expecting Much but Finding Little (Broken Hallelujah Pt. 2)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “A Foundation of Rejoicing and Regret”, click here.

The Israelites returned to the ruins of Jerusalem in 538 BC. As soon as they reached their homeland, the LORD commanded them to rebuild Jerusalem and His temple. They took the command to rebuild the city to heart, resurrecting their homes and businesses as soon as they arrived. But they put the command to restore the LORD’s temple on hold. Haggai the prophet said, “‘The people are saying, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”’ Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: ‘Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins’” (Haggai 1:2-4 NLT)?

Expecting Much

The Israelites priorities were clear: their own health and well-being. They furnished fine homes for themselves and planted much seed for themselves hoping to achieve success for themselves. But here was the fruit of their labor: “‘You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it… You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why’” (Haggai 1:6,9a NLT)?

God not only didn’t assist their hard work, He actively opposed it. He worked to minimize their profit and increase their losses. Why indeed would a good God trouble His people as they strived to secure security and prosperity?

Finding Little

The rest of Haggai 1:9 says that the LORD blew away the reward for their labor “‘because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.’” There are two reasons the LORD opposed the Israelites’ efforts: priority and provision.

Jesus Himself said, “‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you’” (Matthew 6:33 ESV).  An honest inventory of our time, money, and energy would force many of us to admit that God is not number one on our lists. He may receive one day of our week and—in good months—one-tenth of our paycheck, but He is the moon to our world of self rather than the Sun we revolve around.

The reason why God often finds Himself second-best is because of worry. Our cratering economy pushes us to labor from the crack of dawn to midnight. Our strained marriages send us into a death spiral of heated arguments and cold shoulders. We need financial peace, relational peace, and bodily peace, so we strive to lay hold of these things before we find spiritual peace.

Jesus, right before speaking about priorities in Matthew 6:33 said, “‘Don’t worry about these things, saying, “What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?” These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs’” (Matthew 6:31-32 NLT).

Our God knows what we need better than we do, and chief among our list of necessities is not food, water, or shelter but our heavenly Father.

Finding Much

Once the Israelites finally prioritized building the LORD’s house over their own, the LORD told them, “‘“Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all!”… The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace’” (Haggai 2:3,9 NLT).

If we align our priorities with the Father’s, He’ll fill us with spiritual peace and restore the other areas of our lives. But we must have the faith to reorient ourselves from our worries to His temple.

“‘Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Think carefully. I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.’”

(Haggai 2:18-19 NLT)

A Foundation of Rejoicing and Regret (Broken Hallelujah Pt. 1)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

The Babylonians exiled the Israelites for seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). When they returned to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by a devastated temple and a ravaged city. A grand legacy built over the course of centuries had been reduced to rubble. As they sat among the ashes, the LORD commanded the Israelites to rebuild.

Two years after the Israelites’ return, they began restoring the temple, the symbol of the LORD’s presence among them and the pride of their country. The book of Ezra says, “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: ‘He is good; His love toward Israel endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise.” (Ezra 3:11-13a NIV).

Thanksgiving

As we enter into the month of November, we have much to give thanks for. With every new election comes renewed hope of a fresh start. 2021 is fast approaching with the promise of vaccines that will heal our land and restore our economy. And the holiday season promises a welcome reprieve from the monotony of the past six months.

Weeping

But just as the older priests remembered the former glory of Solomon’s temple, so we too remember all that’s been lost. We remember the joys of community, collective celebration, and above all the precious lives that were snuffed out by this pandemic. So as we clothe ourselves with a garment of praise, we also shoulder a boulder of grief.

Conclusion

These two truths must remain in tension, joy for what’s to come and pain over what’s been lost. Many of us have a tendency to drift to one extreme or the other. Some are drinking themselves to despair on memories of yesteryear. Others are whitewashing this year with platitudes and denial. But Apostle Paul said to “be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 NLT). As we near the end of 2020 and turn over a new leaf with 2021, we must learn to embrace the bittersweet. We must belt out laughter from our bellies with tears of grief streaming down our faces. We must cherish the joy without neglecting the sorrow. For only from that razor-thin vantage point will we have the eyes to rebuild properly.

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.”

(Lamentations 3:19-23 NIV)

Food for Thought (40 Years of Muttering with Moses Pt. 6)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “Hope or Hopelessness”, click here; Part 2, “Between an Army and a Watery Grave”, click here; Part 3, “Bitter Sweet”, click here; Part 4, “Worth the Wait”, click here. Lastly, for Part 5, “Spies and Lies”, click here.

The long days of the Israelites’ divinely-ordained road trip ate at them. After weeks of consuming manna for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the people complained to Moses, “‘If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna’” (Numbers 11:4b-6)!

The Food They Used to Eat

Egypt clearly had its perks: homes to live in, luxuries to enjoy, and delicious food to munch on. But by maximizing the good, the Israelites neglected the horrific aspects of Egypt. Egypt had been the source of their suffering, oppression, and decades of slavery.

For all of us sequestered away in lockdown, we’ve lost access to some key joys of life. We miss hangout nights with our pals, glorious getaways to faraway locals, and coffee breaks with colleagues. But as we lament our current circumstances, we may be making the same mistake as the Israelites. When God plucked us out of Egypt and placed us in the wilderness, He may have rescued us from the bad influences we used to surround ourselves with or the expensive trips we financed with credit cards and Hail Mary prayers or the gossip we inhaled as we sipped our cappuccinos.

The Food They Were Eating

More than neglecting the bad God rescued the Israelites out of, the Israelites neglected the good the LORD provided for them in the wilderness. Manna was bread from heaven, a consistent source of sustenance in the middle of a barren wasteland. The LORD fed the Israelites faithfully day by day for the forty years they were unable to feed themselves (Exodus 16:35).

We also may be sniffing our noses at our God-given bread from heaven. We’re lucky to be able to spend our isolation alone together, with sophisticated communication technology to bring our far-flung loved ones one click away. We’re fortunate to have an advanced infrastructure that allows our children to receive a modicum of education from the safety of our homes. And we’re blessed that almost half of America was able to transition to working virtually at such short notice.

The Food They Would Eat

Lastly, the Israelites forgot where they were going. The Promised Land was a country flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8, 3:17, 13:5…), a land of “wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates and olive oil” (Deuteronomy 8:8). It was a bread basket even deeper than Egypt (Deuteronomy 11:10-12).

The LORD God gives good gifts, and He adds no sorrow with them (Proverbs 10:22). Even though He may have taken us away from the luxuries of Egypt and is leading us through the waterless desert, He will deliver us into a better country. In this new homeland, we’ll be free to live and eat without the shackles of our past slavery.

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten– the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed.”
(Joel 2:25-26 NIV)

Spies and Lies (40 Years of Muttering with Moses Pt. 5)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “Hope or Hopelessness”, click here. For Part 2, “Between an Army and a Watery Grave”, click here. Part 3, “Bitter Sweet”, click here. Part 4, “Worth the Wait”, click here.

At last, after years of sulking through the burning desert, eating heavenly trail mix (a.k.a. “manna”) and whining about their problems, the Israelites finally reached the Promised Land. It was a glorious land flowing with milk and honey, vineyards and orchards, and precious metals and fine wine (Deuteronomy 8:7-9). But it was also inhabited.

The Israelites sent out twelve spies to investigate the Promised Land, and it was worse than they had feared: the people of the land were powerful, and the cities well-fortified.

The Ten Spies’ Response

Seeing the great challenge that lay before them, ten of the twelve spies spun the story out of proportion. They lied to the people, “‘The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers’” (Numbers 13:22-23a NLT)! Now why would they do that?

When we are tasked with a difficult undertaking such as going to college, kicking a bad habit, or winning a woman’s heart, convincing ourselves failure is inevitable can be far easier than chasing after success.

The People’s Response

When the Israelites were told this tall tale, they flipped out. “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword’” (Numbers 14:2-3a)?

Some of us share this same tendency. We trust God when times are good but doubt Him when times get tough. We suspect He is like the sun: Present with clear skies but vanishing with the rain.

The Two Spies’ Response

The report of those ten spies drove the Israelites to hysteria. They were ready to turn tail and run all the way back to Egypt (Numbers 14:3-4)! But there was a brave remnant that did not share their terror. Joshua and Caleb, two of the twelve spies, rose up and said, “‘If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them’” (Numbers 14:8-9 NIV).

Joshua and Caleb understood something about God the others did not: God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The same God that sustained their forefathers, blasted open Pharaoh’s palace doors, and protected them in the blazing desert would topple giants before them. He would bring them into the Promised Land because He promised He would. God always keeps His promises (Hebrews 6:17-18).

God’s Response

Hearing the Israelites’ muttering, God asked Moses, “‘How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them’” (Numbers 14:11 NLT)?

It shouldn’t take long for us to remember the amazing miracles God has done in our own lives: the illnesses He’s healed, the blessings He’s given, the hearts He’s changed, including our own. We mustn’t give in to lies about the challenges that lay before us or doubts about the God who walks along side us. If we take Him at His word, we will enter the Promised Land.

“He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)

Worth the Wait (40 Years of Muttering with Moses Pt. 4)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1, “Hope or Hopelessness”, click here. For Part 2, “Between an Army and a Watery Grave”, click here. For Part 3, “Bitter Sweet”, click here.

Three months after leaving Egypt, the bone-weary Israelites finally reached Mount Sinai. Before this mountain, the Israelites saw the LORD descend in a dark cloud with raging fire and crashing lightning. Moses walked into this fearsome maelstrom and emerged forty days later with the ten commandments, written by the finger of God. But forty days is a long time.

“When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt–we don’t know what has happened to him’” (Exodus 32:1 CSB)!

Challenge of Waiting

Anyone you ask from the age of six to sixty will affirm that waiting is hard. While in school, we pine the semester away waiting for summer. Then, when summer arrives, we languish the summer away waiting for the school year to start again. While single, we wait for our special match to arrive. When they do, we wait for our precious baby to arrive. When it does, we wait for our children to have children of their own. We will always be waiting for something, yet, in spite of so much familiarity with the experience, we often struggle to spend that time well.

Lying in Waiting

Once the Israelites noticed how long Moses was taking to return, they regressed to their old ways. They swan-dived right back into the sinful practices they’d followed in Egypt.

Similarly, in the midst of this pandemic, some of us may be locked in a death struggle with the resurrected zombies of past addictions. We may find ourselves helpless to defeat former sin cycles like explosive outbursts of anger or a perpetual spirit of indolence.

Wasting Waiting

After turning back to their old habits, the Israelites “sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party” (Exodus 32:6b CSB). Seasons of waiting are often wasted. Because we don’t understand the purpose behind the wait, we often squander it through mindless distraction, desperate for an easy way to pass the time.

Waiting Well

But the word says, “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25 CSB). Waiting for the LORD and seeking His face are supposed to be joint at the hip. While we wait, we should lift up fervent prayers and faithfully mine His word, so that when He does move, we are ready.

Conclusion

Let us not make the same mistake as the Israelites and squander this golden season. If we turn our hearts to God as we wait, He will open His heart to us in due time. God is always worth waiting for.

“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.”

(Matthew 7:7 CSB)