July 20: Tuesday Refocus

‘All true servants of Christ must be content to wait for their wages. Their best things are yet to come.’ - J.C. Ryle

Delayed gratification is not a modern, Western value.  And why would it be when we can get what we want when we want it with the click of a button?  But followers of Christ are called to something entirely other.  

We are called to…   

‘…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.’ (Matt 6:20).

Invest our lives in something we ‘…know in part; then [we] shall know fully, even as [we] have been fully known.’ (1 Cor 13:12).

Lose our lives for His sake to find life (Matt 16:25).

‘…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb 12:2).

May we wait patiently, with endurance and expectation.

Jesus, You who were rich, for our sake became poor so that we through your poverty might become rich.  May we follow You, bearing the cross to one day wear a crown.  For Your greater glory, and for our greater joy, amen.

Waiting,

AB

April 28: Tuesday Refocus

‘Lord, today You know what I need to do,

But You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do. So I won't run anymore.

I'm waiting on You.’ - Bethany Barnard [To Those Who Wait]

Our time has been filled with waiting... waiting for normal, for a diagnosis or a return to health, for work, for help, for the opportunity to gather once again.  This waiting feels heavy and toilsome.

‘...but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength...’ Isaiah 40:31

In the midst of your waiting, you are invited to wait on the Lord.  This word wait literally means to hope, to look eagerly for, to bind together, to linger.  Let’s turn our waiting into lingering - into expectant hope that we are being drawn more deeply into the heart of a loving Father.  The One who knows our need before we ask (Matt 6:8), who delights in us and over us (Zeph 3:17), hears our prayers (1 Jn 5:15), withholds no good thing (Ps 84:11), catches our tears (Ps 56:8), gives generously of wisdom (Jm 1:5), grace (Jm 4:6), and Himself (Titus 2:14), keeps steadfast love and faithfulness (Deut 7:9).

Linger in the reality that He can do more in your waiting, than in your doing you can do.

‘Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!’ - Psalm 27:14

Lord, when our waiting feels like striving, will you help us linger? In our lingering will you rearrange our hearts to be strong, take courage, and be bound to You? In Christ’s name, amen.

Linger > waiting,

AB

January 14: Tuesday Refocus

‘…these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.  For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.’ - 1 Corinthians 2:10

Eternity was etched into our hearts.  Yet our first parents birthed us into a world they marred with sin, struggle, and death.  It was not supposed to be this way.  Creation itself groans, bound in decay awaiting the revealing of the children of God.  And the children of God groan awaiting ‘adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.’ (Ecc 3:11, Gen 3, Rom 8:19-23)

Eternity echoes in every human heart.  We long for the day He will return to make all things new. Because we have been on an eternal quest to return to what was lost in the garden, we have sought the wisdom and rulers of this age - only to realize they are all doomed to pass away.  But the same Spirit who searches, tries and knows our eternity-etched hearts (Rev 21:5, 2 Cor 2:6, Ps 139:23), searches the depths of God and has revealed: 

No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ - 2 Corinthians 2:9

For eternity, we shall know fully, even as we have been fully known (1 Cor 13:12).

Spirit search my heart, try me and know my thoughts, see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Give me an eternal perspective as I await the return of my Savior.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Waiting,

AB

October 8: Tuesday Refocus

‘I have trusted Thee and Thou hast not betrayed my trust; waited for Thee, and not waited in vain.’ – The Valley of Vision

I have trusted myself and been disappointed.

I have trusted others and been crushed.

I have trusted the Lord and never been forsaken.

‘And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.’  Ps 9:10

I have waited for perfect timing and been inactive.

I have waited for everything to fall in place and been passed by.

I have waited on the Lord and grown strong and courageous.

‘Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!’ Ps 27:14

Lord, we trust and wait.  Not passive, not flippant, intentionally we pursue You as the One who has proven Himself trustworthy.  The One who is with us in our waiting.  We await eagerly for You, Your name and Your renown are the desires of our heart.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Trusting + waiting,

AB