Hebrews 6:15  And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. (CSB)

Psalm 27:13, 14  
I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness 
in the land of the living. 
Wait for the Lord; 
be strong, and let your heart be courageous. 
Wait for the Lord. (CSB)

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There are twenty-three days until Christmas Day. Parents often help their anxiously impatient children understand how long the wait is by telling them how many sleeps they have left until they can open presents. Twenty-three sleeps seems like an eternity to a six-year-old. 

Adults find the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day more of a blur. Perception of time changes as we age. Maturity helps us understand that some things are worth the wait. 

One of the spiritual disciplines we need to cultivate for full development is that of waiting. God is never in a hurry and always on time. His will done his way in his perfect timing is a priceless gift. Abraham discovered this in full after he tried to do God’s will his own way in his own timing. That did not go so well. 

King David was anointed to replace King Saul long before the coronation and only after years of living on the run like a wild animal in the wilderness. 

It took a while, but Abraham and David both learned the beneficial blessing of waiting on God. 

These men were not lazy like those the author of Hebrews describes some of the people he was writing to as seen in 5:11 and 6:12. Laziness and waiting are not the same thing. They are not even related, no matter how their posture may look to others. 

Waiting is anticipatory and expectant. Laziness is indolence at permanent parade rest. 

Abraham and David knew the best was yet to come. They trusted the heart and timing of God. They prepared themselves for what was coming as if it were already true. When someone remembers our stories one day, will they say the same about me and you?

Waiting often places us in the crosshairs of ridicule. Others question our character and our competence. King David understood this and gave us the almost redundant command to “be strong, and let your heart be courageous.” We live in an age when waiting is definitely not in style. It is, however, an essential matter of spiritual maturity and maximum effectiveness. 

Get good at waiting. 

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I will get good at waiting. 

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Our Father, the old saying declares that good things come to those who wait, not to those who hesitate. Deliver us from both jumping the gun and delayed obedience. Teach us the unforced rhythms of grace (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message). Train us to live at the impulse of your love. Empower us to move when it’s time to move and to pause when it’s time to pause. Amen.