I currently find myself curled up in the living room processing the last few months. We’ve been in the States for 102 days, 3 months and 10 days. We left South Asia pretty abruptly basically due to the Pandemic.
Honestly, there have been many silver linings from us having to come back to the States, even though it wasn’t what we initially wanted to do at all. Maybe it’s hard to fathom not wanting to come back to America. Or maybe you are in the same boat. Maybe you’re asking, “How could the country of your Passport not feel like home?” I guess over time, after you really know the people, begin to learn their stories, learn to somewhat communicate 😉 and really settle into a place, it grabs your heart. You begin to think of your passport country as the place you will only be temporarily, until you return.
In this season of waiting to go back to South Asia, I’ve been thinking about waiting.
We are all in some sort of season of waiting– waiting for things to get “more normal,” waiting for schools to not be virtual, or waiting for something else you hope for.
The story of Abraham has recently been such an encouragement to me in regards to waiting.
Here’s the context.
Abram receives a promise.
He’s 75 yrs old
Abram received a promise from the Lord saying, “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Gen 12:1-2)
He’s probably thinking, wow! If God is going to make a great nation from me then I am probably going to have a large family and be blessed with many children.
At this time Abram was 75 years old. He left Haran, his homeland, and God called him to go to a land he would show him. (Gen 12:4)
Fast forward 11 years.
He’s 86 yrs old
Abram is getting very impatient and decides to take matters into his own hands. He decides to take a detour and have a child with someone else to speed up this whole promise thing. Ishmael is born when Abram is 86 years old. (Gen 16:16)
Fast forward 13 years .
He’s 99 yrs old
Abram is 99 and the Lord appeared to him and said,
“I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” (Gen 17:1-2)
The Lord doesn’t lecture Abram cause he’s done his own thing. He doesn’t even go straight into reminding him about the promise.
God first reminds Abram who he is. He goes to the BIG PICTURE.
In Hebrew “God Almighty” is translated El Shaddai.
He reminds Abram …
- I am the mighty one
- I make the covenant (I love when it says “THAT I.” In other words do these things –walk before me and be blameless– THAT I …) God is the one that is going to fulfill the covenant. He doesn’t need us. He doesn’t need us to come up with a plan. He already has one. It’s his covenant. He’s got this.
Fast Forward 1 year.
Abraham (*new name) is 100 yrs old
Abraham (now his new name) and Sarah have a son named Isaac. (Gen 21:5). Isaac is the one who God would establish His covenant through. (Gen 17:19)
Total time from initial promise to Isaac’s birth = 25 years
When we are discouraged in the waiting, let’s zoom out of the snapshot we are living in during that moment and look at the big picture.
God is El Shaddai.
God is Almighty.
He keeps his promises.
He is faithful, even when we take a detour or a shortcut.
He allows us to be a part of his grand plan and invites us to walk with him in it.
You are not alone in the waiting.
This is good news. What a story of hope!
Other references: Faithful by The Daily Grace Company