“A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God I’m thirsty for God-alive.”
Psalm 42:1
The Message
The Message
EXPLORATION:
“From Empty to Full” – Part 2
“The Fullness of Time”
“Fullness” – Containing all that is possible. Complete in every detail.
What am I “waiting” for God to do in His “fullness of time” in my life?
INSPIRATION:
“But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son to redeem us.”
Galatians 4:4- 5
K.J.V.
The Message
I want to begin our devotional today with a thought-provoking prayer I read several years ago in one of my treasured books, Laughter, Silence and Shouting by Kathy Keay. This prayer is entitled, “Waiting” and it was written by women who found themselves in a time of “postponement” or “expectancy.” A time when the answer didn’t come, immediately! A time when God’s help didn’t arrive as fast as necessary.Maybe you have found yourself in the same situation. Perhaps you have thought or even spoken the same words:K.J.V.
The Message
Waiting
“Waiting for you
reminds me
of all other people in the world
waiting:
Those in prison
confined, shut off
waiting for time to pass
or death
to bring release:
Those in pain
maimed by accidents of a physical kind
waiting to be healed back to an active life.
And those with accidents
of another kind:
Divorce, unemployment, schizophrenia
the old, the ugly, the lonely
those on the margins
sitting uncomfortably
waiting
for love, for work, for sanity
for respect, for healing
for someone or something to fill the gaps
and soothe the pain
reinforced by time.
I look at the gate, now mended
and firmly closed.
You do not come.
I turn from emptiness to emptiness
O God
yet wonder if You are also waiting
in the shadows?”
reminds me
of all other people in the world
waiting:
Those in prison
confined, shut off
waiting for time to pass
or death
to bring release:
Those in pain
maimed by accidents of a physical kind
waiting to be healed back to an active life.
And those with accidents
of another kind:
Divorce, unemployment, schizophrenia
the old, the ugly, the lonely
those on the margins
sitting uncomfortably
waiting
for love, for work, for sanity
for respect, for healing
for someone or something to fill the gaps
and soothe the pain
reinforced by time.
I look at the gate, now mended
and firmly closed.
You do not come.
I turn from emptiness to emptiness
O God
yet wonder if You are also waiting
in the shadows?”
The Waiting Woman’s Prayer
Has there been a time in your life when you felt so empty you thought God had forgotten you existed? You wondered if He forgot where you lived. And if God were waiting in the shadows of your life you wished He would come out into the light so you could see Him. You just wanted to know He remembered you and your pain…your ache…your empty heart.In chapter 5 of the book of Mark in the New Testament, a story is told about a wealthy ruler of the synagogue named Jairus. He came to Jesus because his precious little daughter, Tabitha, was ill and he hoped the touch of Jesus would heal his child. As we follow the story, a multitude surrounded Jesus including a woman who had been sick for twelve years. This throng stopped Jesus. They delayed Him. He didn’t get to Jairus’ home as fast as He could have, and finally when the crowd began to move, someone from Jairus’ house came and said, “Don’t bother Jesus anymore. It’s no use. Your daughter has died. Jesus waited too long to get to your home.”
Now it’s Jesus’ turn to speak and He said, “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mark 5: 36, K.J.V.).
I want to ask one critical question. Did Jesus’ delay in getting to Jairus’ home change the end result of what happened? At first glance it might be easy to say, “Yes,” for the daughter died and perhaps if Jesus had gotten there sooner He could have healed the girl and she wouldn’t have died.
However, my answer to the question is, “No.” Jesus’ delay did not change the result for Jairus’ daughter – for she was not only healed, she was raised from the dead. In this case, from Jairus’ own words we know all he was hoping for was that his daughter would get well. I doubt he ever imagined that if she died, Jesus could and would raise her from the dead. In the end, what he had hoped for and what Jesus did for him was exceedingly, abundantly above all Jairus asked for or could even think would happen.
Please note – Jesus’ lingering along the way to heal another person, as well as Jesus’ delay in getting to the home of Jairus, didn’t decrease the miracle in Jairus’ home – it increased it!!
Waiting didn’t mean Jesus was less interested. Delay didn’t mean Jesus didn’t care. Lingering didn’t mean He was too busy with someone else’s problems.
Waiting was part of Jesus’ plan to bring complete joy…complete happiness...and complete fullness to Jairus’ home.
In Isaiah 40: 31 there is one of my favorite promises in all of Scripture. This verse provides great encouragement to all of us who wait in our lives for “God’s fullness of time,” for that right moment, when God will fill us to overflowing for His glory. “But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles.”
Isaiah 40: 31
The Message
The Message
Isn’t it about time you prepared yourself to be filled by God? Look out -- get ready to soar!
AFFIRMATIONS:
Psalms of a Laywoman
“I suffered, and now there is joy,
I was lonely, and now there is comfort,
I was desolate, and now there is warmth.
I was empty, and now there is fullness.”
I was lonely, and now there is comfort,
I was desolate, and now there is warmth.
I was empty, and now there is fullness.”
From a prayer by
Edwin Gately
Edwin Gately
“And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:18, 19
New International Version
New International Version
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