God has wrought into the life of a young friend of mine something that is very precious to Him.
She does a lot of waiting.
She waited many years for a husband. Waited, and waited. Prayed, and waited.
The Lord in His time granted her the desire of her heart—a young man who is, in her own words, “a wonderful husband” to her. (I’ve only met him once myself, but all I’ve heard concurs with Julie’s words.)
Now Julie is waiting again. She and Chad have been married for a few years, yet still no child.
About a year ago they were expecting, but lost this little one through the heartache of a miscarriage.
They’re still trying, and meanwhile are also hoping to adopt. But the adoption process itself has meant a lot of waiting.
Why, Lord? Why all this waiting? Some would become embittered by it all, and turn their back on You.
Not my young friend. I know she has her times of bitter tears. But then she continues waiting. Trusting, and waiting. She draws closer to Jesus, not further away from Him.
I was praying for Julie yesterday when suddenly the Lord filled my heart with how precious she is to Him—and how precious this thing called waiting is to Him. Walking with God means coming to know at a very deep level this matter of waiting. We are all tried in this area, but Julie, more than many, has come to know very deeply the trial of waiting. She knows much of waiting. Waiting in hope.
In His own wisdom and purposes–and love–this is something God has allotted to her. No doubt He has eternal fruit in mind.
And no doubt there’s another reason as well—to inspire you and me in our own time of waiting. I feel so inspired with hope as I consider Julie’s example. I too have been waiting for a long time for certain things the Lord has promised He would do.
At times you despair of seeing them, the waiting has been so long. But then I think of Julie’s waiting—and her faithfulness.
And of the Lord’s own faithfulness to her. She waited for a husband. Now she embraces a husband.
She has waited for a child. The faithful Lord is going to reward her waiting, and her faithfulness. One of these days—I’m inclined to think soon—Julie will embrace a child in her arms.
I think of that, and take courage to continue waiting. God will prove faithful to me too.
And to all who wait for Him. He gives us His word on that.
…For they shall not be ashamed (that is, disappointed) that wait for Me (Isa. 49.23).
…Let’s all hold up Chad and Julie in prayer. We can also follow the footsteps of Julie’s journey of faith—and waiting—on her blog at: http://www.chickadeessong.blogspot.com
