Waiting

“God has spoken and God will act. Christ has come once and Christ will come again. We have heard the promises and we will witness the event. However long the waiting takes, it is only the gap between the thunder and the lightning.” — God in the Dark: The Assurance of Faith Beyond a Shadow of Doubt by Os Guinness 

I had a unique experience a couple days ago during my lunch break.    

No one was in the office at the time, Sonja had left a little earlier to meet someone for lunch, so there I was, standing at the kitchen counter—just me. In the words of the Eric Carmen hit back in the ’70’s – “All By Myself.”

Don’t be concerned. I’m one of those people who enjoy quiet; I don’t just enjoy it, I need it from time-to-time. The quietness was so peaceful, but it didn’t feel empty. It didn’t feel empty because I was waiting.  I knew Sonja would be back.

As I stood there that day I thought of a friend of mine whose spouse had recently died.  I thought: They have a lot of moments like this now, but what they experience is far different.

For me, the house was empty but it wasn’t lonely.  The reason was because I knew that in a matter of time, Sonja would be back and that made all the difference. The quietness, while temporarily enjoyable, was gladly, not permanent.

There is a vast difference between being alone and waiting.

I think of my parents.  They spend most of their lives waiting.  I don’t get to go home as often as I’d like, but one of the joys of “going home” is knowing that there are people there who are waiting for you.  And even better, eagerly waiting for you.  That is the privilege I have.  

But Mom and Dad don’t sit around waiting for me, they know that my visits are regrettably few and far between.  Who they’re really waiting for is Jesus; they’re waiting for Him to return.  It dominates their lives, their days, their choices.  

What I am referring to is “the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”   

Even for my 90-year-old dad, who struggles with dementia, the imminent, any moment return of Jesus is as real to him as the promise of his next meal that my mom is so committed to providing.

Sadly, I have known others their age who were waiting too, but all they were waiting to do was die.

Oh what a difference.  

The ONE THING for today: We are all waiting.  Sometimes life is so noisy and busy that we forget, but nevertheless, just under the surface, we are waiting.  And what we’re waiting for…especially in the end…makes all the difference.