Seize the Moment- Part Two

Seize the Moment – Part Two

by Rocky Fleming

“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) 

Yesterday an eighty-three-year-old man I distantly knew took his own life.  Some say he had extreme depression, for he had lost his wife eighteen months before.  Some say he was angry at God and disappointed with life for the way it had turned out for him.  Obviously, he had grown to hate the life he once loved and decided to end his pain, and his life.  He took God’s responsibility and His alone when the days of life would end and put a gun in his hand to interrupt the good that God would have done for him.  If he had only waited on the Lord?  If he had only sought Jesus’ love and compassion to nurture him through his pain instead of being angry with Him, then he would have stayed the course and realized the blessing.  But he didn’t wait and now there is a lot of pain for his family and friends that will follow him.

As one who has had a young eighteen-year-old niece take her own life, I know the pain and confusion her family has retained for forty years now.  If she had only waited, then her life would have turned around.  I have a friend whose son took his own life when he was nineteen-years-old following a wreck.  He blamed himself for it and couldn’t face the consequences.  Because of his suicide, his family was torn apart, and they still live with the pain and confusion of it for over thirty years now.  If he had only waited, he would have gotten through it to see God’s help.  He would also likely still be alive today.  His family would still be together.  But no, he didn’t give the Lord time to bring His best solution to the problem.  It is the same with all three of these examples.  If they had only waited for the Lord … by faith … and by the assurance of His good heart and promises, they would have seen Him come to their aid.  Then they would have seen His blessing rise up before them, like the sunrise of a new day.

Waiting on the Lord is one of the greatest tests of our faith.  This is where we must persevere and trust Him more deeply.  It is in times, such as we are in now, that we wait, we grow and conform to a man or woman that He wants to make of us.  He will come through for us eventually.  Do not doubt this.  Do not take matters in your own hands to try and resolve only what God can resolve.  Wait for God to move mountains, or obstacles, or prepare the way, or change hearts, or do a multitude of things that only God can do.  But wait for the Lord God of the Universe, our Papa, to move over the things we fear.  Then the things He promises in His word will be realized.  As the scripture says above, we “walk, run and eventually fly.”  We will get through this time.  We can and must trust Him.

I’m not one to add to a passage but I will say this about walking, running and eventually flying.  I think there is something else.  Sometimes all we can do is crawl.  We just get by one day at a time.  But we will not remain there, for God is always moving His family to a flying condition.  It’s just the state we are in when we declare our faith to God that we will wait for Him to act in a way that He sees fit.

There are many times that God is acting on our behalf, but we don’t see it.  He’s at work but because we don’t see it, we often adopt a perspective that He isn’t listening to our prayers and petitions, or He is not interested in what we are feeling.  That’s not the God of the Bible.  That’s not Jesus our Good Shepherd that we say we believe in.  Instead, we agree with the Accuser’s voice who accuses God, such as the man who ended his life.  If he had only sought and waited on the Lord, he would have seen the Lord enter His pain, and lift his head.  That is what our Good Shepherd does.

My suggestion in times like we are in right now, when you are discouraged, or frightened or doubtful, or feeling hopeless, go to the scriptures and look at all the titles and names assigned to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Really get to know Him as you consider these aspects and characteristics of God.  If you will do this, you will understand that He knows, cares, is willing and is able to involve Himself in your needs and concerns.  Seek Him.  Ask of Him. Wait on Him, and before long you “shall mount up with wings like eagles.”