WaitPatiently | Kristi's Morning Devotional

August 16, 2022August 16, 2022

Hurry Up & Wait

Today is one of our days’ off and I’m thankful that we don’t have a long list of things that need to be done. Sometimes our non-workdays are filled with more activities than those when we work a full shift.

Whatever the day brings, it seems there is always a time of waiting. At 69, you would think I had learned to wait better but I’m still working on it.

How are you going to spend your day? Do you have a list of projects that need to be completed? Are you travelling to far away places? Do you think your activities are mundane and uneventful? Or do you possibly have a “big” appointment that could be life changing?

As you hurry through your morning or stop to have a quiet cup of coffee and a reflective moment, I want to encourage you to start your day praising God for the blessings in your life. You have breath, a computer/tablet/phone (if you’re reading this), a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in, you have some degree of health and wealth and you have God’s promise to never leave you or abandon you!

So much to be thankful for.

A while back, I was reading the last chapter of Luke. Jesus disciples and apostles had followed him for 3 years. They thought he was going to set up an earthly kingdom, overthrow their Roman oppressors and bring peace to their nation. But instead, He died; they were dejected. The resurrection gave them new hope . They learned He was leaving again but this time they had a new prospective.

What did they do?

“Jesus led his followers out of Jerusalem almost to Bethany. He raised his hands and blessed his followers. 51 While he was blessing them, he was separated from them and carried into heaven. 52 They worshiped him and went back to Jerusalem very happy. 53 They stayed at the Temple all the time, praising God.” Luke 24:50-53 ERV

They spent their waiting time praising God!

What a great way to pass the time while you’re waiting in traffic, or in the checkout line that seems to be at a standstill. You can praise God while waiting to be served in a restaurant or on hold waiting for a live person to take your call. It’s the best way to spend your time while waiting in the carpool lane or sitting in a waiting room at the hospital.

“Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.” Psalm 27:14 ERV

Wherever you are waiting today, wait on the Lord – praise Him and He will fill your life with joy!

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022

Learning to Trust

When our youngest daughter was in first grade, we adopted a sweet Australian Shepherd named Bear. He had been badly abused. He had trust issues to say the least.

We were given the name of a good trainer and once a week I took him to class. It didn’t take long for him and me to learn to work together. The commands of sit and stay were some of the first we worked on. He needed to know that when I gave those commands he could TRUST that I wasn’t going to leave him or beat him.

Presently I feel like I’m in a sit stay stage of life. I go through these training times periodically.

I have things to do, places to go, people to meet and minister too and God is saying “Sit Still”. I have learned in the past and am learning again that it’s just as important to be obedient to that command as it is to “love thy neighbor” or “pray without ceasing”.

If you know me at all you know I always have a list – things need to be done! I don’t do SIT – STAY very well. Years ago I read a book by Tim Hansel, “When I Relax I Feel Guilty”, that describes me to a tea. Retirement isn’t easy for a “list person”. I had a very dear friend tell me that it’s just as important to wait as it is to march forward. The key is being obedient to what God is saying and when He’s saying it.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” ¹¹The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” Psalm 46:10-11 NLT

The children of Israel had a tangible, visible sign that they followed. The Lord placed a cloud over the Tabernacle and when it moved they moved; and when it stayed they stayed.

“Sometimes the cloud was over the Holy Tent for only a few days. So the people obeyed the LORD’s command—they followed the cloud when it moved… 22 If the cloud stayed over the Holy Tent for two days, a month, or a year, the people stayed at that place. They did not leave until the cloud moved…They camped when the LORD told them to, and they moved when he told them to…” Number 9:21-23 ERV

Obedience! That’s the key. We say “Lord, speak to me and I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.” And then He speaks something so simple as to stay – rest and we sit for 15 minutes and then want to get up and get back to our normal routine. It’s hard to rest!

God’s way of doing things is generally contrary to the natural way. He told Joshua to march around a city and they would capture it – Jesus told us to achieve greatness we must strive to be a servant. Paul said when I am weak then am I strong. See – these things seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum, but that’s God’s way.

“My soul, relax! The LORD is caring for you.” Psalm 116:7 ERV

I’m learning to rest AGAIN. Yes, Lord I will sit and stay, trusting You!

June 29, 2021June 29, 2021

A Harmonious Outcome

For years I lived by my daily planner. The person who invited the “Day-Timer” was my hero. Everything needed to be written down, each appointment recorded. That’s how I kept life organized and on track.

It wasn’t just the business, school and medical appointments. No, I put in trips to the grocery store, which day I would do laundry, time in my yard and for a while I even had the week’s menu in my planner.

I knew how each day should play out and it made me feel accomplished.

Gradually I found myself releasing control. Less and less do I reach for my planner with pencil in hand and it isn’t because we are retired and have less to do. I am learning to enjoy the moments, every day unexpected encounters with life.

“Trust the Lord and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. ⁴Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire. ⁵Let the Lord lead you and trust him to help. ⁶Then it will be as clear as the noonday sun that you were right.⁷Be patient and trust the Lord. Don’t let it bother you when all goes well for those who do sinful things.
⁸Don’t be angry or furious. Anger can lead to sin.” Psalm 37: 3-8 CEV

Waiting patiently was not something either Dave or I were good at. We were the ones to do the planning and if something needed to be done you could count on us to jump in with both feet and take care of the details.

How you heard the expression “burning daylight”? That was us – we didn’t tolerate what we considered wasted time. But our way has changed.

We are learning to relax, rest and enjoy all that God has for us. We are seeing the Lord remove stress and frustration from our lives and we are loving it. There’s a line from one of our favorite westerns that says, “Slow down, you’ll get a more harmonious outcome”.

When we slow down, we are more likely to experience the Lord’s little blessings. If we’re in a hurry, we often miss them completely. Yesterday morning after posting the blog Dave and I drove past three doe standing at the edge of the road. He slowed way down so I could get a picture. We almost stopped completely. They were in no hurry; they were content to stand there and eat the meadow grass.

It occurred to me that the animals in nature are really in no hurry at all. They just wait on what the Lord has provided. They eat quietly and lie down to rest in the shady spots. The only time you really see them “rushing” is when they feel they are in danger.

Kind of reminds me of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd, He leads me by still waters and in green pastures, He restores my soul.

If the sheep can learn to relax and the doe can be still, shouldn’t we follow their example as we wait and trust in the Lord?

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. ² You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water,” Psalm 23:1-2 CEV

Enjoy this day. Let the Lord minister to your heart!