Wait

 "Wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

    It delights me to say Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird have taken up residence in our back yard. 

    As I was peeling an obstinate orange the other day, I glanced out the kitchen window toward the nesting box where they live. There was Mrs. Bluebird peering out the round window, looking this way and that. She remained doing so for quite a while, so I began to ponder life from her perspective. 

    What must it be like to be the one who has to wait? She has a job to fulfill, tending the nest while the Mr. goes about searching for food, but her stance at the window seems to indicate a worried waiting. Perhaps she is asking herself, "What if Mr. Bluebird met with a predator, a hungry hawk or a sleek cat? What if he's laying in a ditch somewhere, the lifeblood oozing out of him? What if he never comes back? Then what?" 

    We who wait for the Lord Jesus are not unlike this little bird, are we? We're in our little corners of the world, tending our nests to the best of our ability, but then we start to wonder, "How long, Lord?" 

    I get tired of waiting.

    But, unlike Mrs. Bluebird, we have no reason to worry. Here's why:

• Jesus has no predators! "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matthew 28:18) "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them by the cross." (Colossians 2:15)
• Death has no power over Jesus! "But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." (Acts 2:24) "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!" (Luke 24: 5-6)
• Jesus is coming again! "From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:64) "'Men of Galilee,' they (the angels) said, 'Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'" (Acts: 1:11)

    Jesus has gone on to prepare a place for us. The reassurance he gave to his disciples is meant for us as well when he declared, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am." (John 14:3)

    

    In the meantime, we do not wait idly. We have a job to do: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20)

    

    Those baby birds in our care must learn what we already know before they fly off. 

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the Master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose Master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions." Matthew 24: 45-47

Watch!

 "If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" Mark 13:36-37

    Seasoned fishermen were traveling to the other side of the Sea of Galilee one evening when a furious squall arose. Waves broke over the sides of the boat until they were nearly swamped. It's easy to imagine the flurry of action that took place involving the bailing of water, the shouting of commands and the adjustment of sails. Meanwhile, Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. The frantic disciples shook Him awake with ragged voices saying, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 

    After Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves, it became completely calm. Turning to His followers He quizzed, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:35-40)

    Allow me to paint a different scene. On a quiet evening after a full Passover meal, Jesus and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane, a grove on the Mount of Olives. Taking Peter, James and John further into the garden with Him, Jesus implored them to stay awake, watch and pray so that they would not fall into temptation. As the three dozed to a serenade of crickets beneath a moonlit expanse, a stone's throw away the soul of their Master was swamped with sorrow to the point of death as He pled with the Father in deep distress. Three times, He returned to His friends, only to find them sleeping. (Mark 14: 32-42)

    A storm of a very different nature was brewing in the heavenly realms that moonlit night as the clash of good verses evil rang out at a fevered pitch. The very climax of history, when Time would be cleaved in two like the veil in the temple, was fast approaching when the Son of Man would be lifted up drawing all people to Himself (John 12:32). Satan, that snake of deceit, would soon slither 'round His nailed feet on Calvary as if to taunt, "Try to crush my head beneath your heel now!" (Genesis 3:15) 

    Which scene is more conducive to sleep? The tempest on the lake or the dark, quiet garden? Yet, which of the two is more volatile with lasting results? 

    When Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse (see Mark 13), He implored the listeners (which includes you and me) to "Watch out...You must be on your guard...Pray...Keep watch...Be alert!" He warned against false prophets, persecution, rebellion and betrayal, while of physical threats such as wars and rumors of wars, he said, "Do not be alarmed." 

    In this world, we will have trouble which include literal storms like disease, tornadoes or even murder that threaten to take our very lives, but to lose one's soul is far worse. That is referred to as the "second death." (Revelation 20:6, 21:8) Of the attacks that threaten our faith in the promises of God, of these we must be alert, on guard and never sleeping, for if we lose that, we lose everything.

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their own soul? (Matthew 16:26)

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28

Walking With Jesus

 "I will instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble." Proverbs 4: 11-12

    It looks like a nice day for a walk, something my old limbs ache to do. Though I have access to a treadmill, I prefer to be out-of-doors where there's more to see than a screen. Maybe I'll see if my husband wants to walk along the lake today.

    During my Bible time this morning, I thought about walking. When we walk with someone else, we enter into an agreement to be together, heading in the same direction, experiencing the same conditions, meeting the same passersby, and seeing similar things. If one runs off to do their own thing, the agreement has been broken, at least until the travelers reconvene. The two must keep in step, and at least one must know the way. 

    When I walk with the Lord, it means I have agreed to stay with Him, to keep in step and trust Him in all kinds of conditions or circumstances. Sometimes, we may rest beside the still waters. Perhaps a storm kicks up when He may stop for shelter, insist we carry on through it, or He may calm the tempest. When I need some sleep, it is He who stays up through the watches of the night to deliver me from evil. 

    Even in times of cultural discord, when it seems like no one else is on the path, I keep going, one step in front of the other, one day at a time. The Bible says Enoch "walked faithfully with God," and uses the same description for our friend, Noah (Genesis 5:24 and 6:9). As a result, both were commended in the Hall of Faith chapter (Hebrews 11) for their perseverance. 

    Several times, I left the path and rolled pell-mell down a rebellious slope, but He pushed through the briars and beat off the enemy with His rod before He found me. Then, He cleaned me off and asked me to take His hand once again.

    So, I write to encourage other travelers to stay close to our Guide, the Shepherd, because He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). When we walk with Him, we step on a sure foundation on a road already trod with plenty of light, and in the company of the Best Friend we could ever ask for. 

    It really is a good day for a walk!

"Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" Amos 3:3