Wait And See!

Wait for God. Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again. Wait for God. Psalm 27:14 The Message

This past week most of us have adopted the wait and see attitude concerning the threat of ice and snow for our area. The meteorologists are having a field day with all this information, and whether they are right or wrong, most of us just have to wait and see if it affects us.

In the early years of my teaching career, the technology of predicting storms was not nearly so sophisticated, so teachers and students had to wait until the morning of a school day to find out whether or not we got a “snow day” at home. It was always a surprise!

The first year of our marriage, Randy and I lived in the upstairs apartment of an old home in Decatur, Georgia while Randy attended Emory University and I taught near by. In January of 1973, a major ice storm hit Atlanta producing some four inches of ice, and we were two of the 300,000 without power.

The storm hit on a Saturday, so Randy suggested that we hop in his VW and set out on an adventure. When I asked “Where will we go on these icy roads,” he replied, “Wait and see!” There was obviously no one else on the road, so we ended up a little while later at Lookout Mountain Park in Tennessee. Not surprisingly, the park was closed, but not to be deterred, Randy was determined that we should get in. He found a six foot wall that looked easy to get over, hoisted me over first, and then he joined me on the other side.

We toured the park on our own! The battle above the clouds was fought here during the Civil War, and we walked in the ice as I listened while Randy described each detail of the battle. There were cannons, statues, historical markers, and monuments. The view of Chattanooga from above in the snow was breath taking. At the end of our adventures, I asked, “Do you think we can we make it home?” Randy replied, “Well, I guess we will have to wait and see!’

A wait and see attitude is defined as a situation in which one is not sure and decides to wait before taking action. It is pretty hard for most of us to wait and see these days. We simply don’t have the patience to sit around and wait for answers to the problems or situations that are weighing heavily on us. We want a resolution, and we want it now!

During the wait and see times of our lives, God uses these periods to build character, strengthen faith, and align us with His perfect timing. He works behind the scenes rather than acting immediately, but while we are waiting to see what happens, He provides us with peace in place of anxiety and a promise that those who wait won’t be disappointed.

The scripture above assures us that those who wait patiently and don’t act hastily will not be disappointed. He works behind the scenes to renew our strength, and He uses this time to help us mature in our faith. To wait and see is not a waste, but rather a time to prepare for what He has planned.

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream! Clark and his wife had worked and saved for years to fulfill their dream of taking their nine children with them on a trip to the United States. The time had come, and they had their passports and reservations on a new ocean liner headed to the U.S.

They were so filled with anticipation and excitement; however, seven days before their departure, their youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor stitched up the boy, but he hung a yellow sign on their front door as he left. Because of the possibility of rabies, the family was quarantined for fourteen days. They would not be able to make their dream trip.

The father filled with rage and disappointment went to the dock and watched the ship sail without them while shedding tears of anger. He cursed his son and God for this misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news spread through Scotland – the mighty Titanic had sunk taking hundreds of lives with it. The Clark family would have been passengers on this voyage. The things that sometimes seem hard to bear can turn out to be a blessing.

When we wait and see there are blessings in our patience. When the Holy Spirit guides our lives, the blessings of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control will be evident in our lives! Wait and see!

It appears the meteorologists got close this time!!