- Dr. Reena Rosy Nelson Anthikat
“But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Is 40:31).
In today’s world of frenetic activity, waiting is an excruciating experience. Yet, most people can find no escape from it. It is true of a pregnant lady who has to wait until at least 39 weeks for delivery or of a college student who waits anxiously for admission for higher studies or youths who wait eagerly for a job etc. But untold is the joy one gets when the waiting will have paid off.
In India we do have a system for reducing the waiting considerably; an extra payment will help you jump the queue. But that won’t work with God. What’s more, the scripture promises rewards for waiting. The patience we show for the Lord to act actually enhances the beauty and grace of our character. They shall be renewed in their strength, they shall be like eagles. The strength displayed by eagles is phenomenal. They surf with the wind initially, and then dart forward by spreading their wings to stay balanced in the air. Those who wait on the road shall soon be running. Waiting builds up energy to make a fresh start. Those who lose a job don’t just sit around depressed. They look around for a new job. In case they are fired from that job too, they take the help of professional counselling for finding a reliable employment. Professional guidance and experience will assist you to overcome your drawbacks and inadequacies. those who wait on the Lord will never think of giving up. They will keep striving with their limited means until they attain their goal.
Waiting is not just about expecting miracles to happen. It is about patiently working for a solution, trusting in God.
Waiting is an unavoidable fact of life. After voting in elections, we will have to wait for days or weeks to know the results, which will decide who forms the union government or the state government.
In these days of fast food and instant services, there is an excitement in waiting despite the melodrama of emotional turmoil it entails. I remember the case of a student of mine in Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She was doing her first year Microbiology Undergraduate stream in the year 2000. She was going through some kind of a psychotic problem. She was on treatment. Extreme anxiety and nervousness were the main symptoms she exhibited. It was not as if she could not study in a college. Her father took her for treatment to Kerala. He put his trust in Ayurvedic remedies. I appreciated her for the bravery she showed in admitting her illness in the presence of her father. That was the all-important start she made in her journey for a cure. Her father put in long hours of journey, waiting patiently to reach their objective, which was in this case the ability to lead a normal life in their home city, Calicut. Bravery and patience paid off. She fully recovered after a few years.
Waiting is not just about expecting miracles to happen. It is about patiently working for a solution, trusting in God.
The Jews eagerly waited for the Messiah. Philip was a man well versed in the Jewish scriptures. He said to Nathanael, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and the prophets wrote… Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said, “He is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
Chance favours those who patiently wait, trusting in the Lord. The longest journey perhaps is the journey of the mind to the heart. The mind patiently waits and the heart, where God resides, keeps yearning. Wait upon the Lord and be blessed.
