October’s Promise

Did you know that just like spring gives us the promise of new life, fall has it’s own sweet promise that it whispers? We see it as we watch a crimson leaf drift quietly to the ground. It’s in the golden light that drifts through the trees of the waning day and in the cool crisp air that just begins to bite at your nose on early morns. While we are surrounded by pictures of beautiful harvest, wagons full of flowers, fields ripe with pumpkins and tables laden with scrumptious foods, think back to how those things came to be. 

     “The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

James 5:7,8  

That is what we are about today dear ones, strengthening our hearts while we wait for the Lord!  There is a common phrase that says, “Good things come to those who wait.” but the word of the Lord tells it a bit differently.

     “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. For evildoers will be cut off. 

But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. “ 

Psalm 37:9 

     “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”Isaiah 40:31 

    “And I will wait for the Lord….. I will even look eagerly for Him.” Isaiah 8:17  

      There is something happening in the waiting! Wait… let me say that again! There is something happening in the waiting!! 

     Just like the farmer waited for the first and the last rains for the harvest to come. We wait, and our waiting is a position of faith that “something” is happening in that dark , dark ground. Some fruit is being born. Not only is something happening in the dark earth. Something is happening in us beloved! While we are waiting to see our God move on our behalf, we are gaining new strength! We are growing wings so that we can fly! When we must walk in something or even run for awhile in something ( it may even feel like a bit of a marathon) we WILL NOT GROW WEARY!! 

     At the same time we are growing more certain of who we are in Christ. He begins to show us as we wait that when we are feeling our most weak, we are really strong. He begins to peel back all of the things between our hearts and Him. The fluff as I call it is sometimes stripped away bit by bit and other times in the fires of adversity it disappears all at once in a vapor of smoke. Leaving you feeling a bit naked and disconnected from the world around you. But while that may feel a bit uncomfortable it’s a gift really. It’s like having scales fall from your eyes or a bit of the veil pulled back so you can peer just beyond this world a bit and see life from a different perspective. 

     It is an opportunity to let go of the things that robbed you of peace on a daily basis. Those long lines of traffic, inconvenient things that pop up to fill an already full day, workplace gossip, and things you think you simply must have to be happy.

The Lord has birthed a new prayer in me of late. I am still pressing in and praying for Him to rescue me and the one’s I love in various situations however, I am also praying that He will make me strong! There are too many times I want to lay down my head and cry,

 “ Have mercy , Lord have mercy!”

Then I remember that I am here for one purpose, to bring glory to my King! I want to share Jesus. I want to bring strength to the weary, to share a cup of refreshing truth with the  traveler who is faint.  And so I pray, “Strengthen me Lord, renew my mind and restore my spirit as I wait on you.” I trust you that you are growing amazing things in the dark places and when the early and the late rains have fallen the harvest,that you call most precious, will be the most abundantly beautiful yet! Wait on the Lord beloved! Be strong and take heart and wait on the Lord!