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Wait

             Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

          Some people would say that waiting for the Lord is a sign of weakness of character, body, or mind. If we want something, we should step out and get it. If we can’t do it by ourselves, we should recruit others to help us. Others use “I’m waiting for the Lord” as an excuse for not doing something, or anything.  Most of us are probably a mix of the two.

          The reality is that when this verse says “be strong and take heart,” it is listing two requirements for waiting. Waiting takes strength and heart. It also takes wisdom because while waiting does require that we not go get the thing we want, it also requires that we actively prepare. If you’re waiting for someone to arrive, you don’t sit and do nothing if the house isn’t ready. You do what you can to prepare for the visit.

          This means cleaning house, getting rid of the trash and the broken stuff that can’t be fixed. It may mean learning to make that favorite dinner or dessert. It may mean putting something in the middle of a room so that the person coming can help fix it, or assess its value. That can be a frightening thing so waiting for it is hard.

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