Waiting can be frustrating. Like waiting for the popular rides at Disney. Or waiting for someone to return a text, waiting for paint to dry, or installing a phone update. We have entire rooms devoted to waiting, with chairs and magazines and TVs. The best waiting areas are at car dealerships. They usually have cookies and drink machines. The worst ones have a “take a number” machine, like the DMV (no snacks).
A coworker told me her dentist capitalizes on this and gives out paraffin hand treatments while your teeth are getting shiny. And noise cancelling headphones (to watch the overhead TVs, of course). “Who’s your dentist?” I asked her. Maybe I should go there!
I usually think of waiting as a passive activity. Sitting and waiting. I like waiting for things to bake in the oven. Or an exciting package marked “out for delivery.” Everyone likes a fun surprise. My dogs used to get monthly packages of toys and treats. They would squeal with delight when they saw the box arrive.
Sometimes when we talk to God, we wait for Him. He wants us to draw near, to be close and seek His face. I was reading in Psalms, in The Passion Translation, and I found a footnote on Psalm 25:5 about the Hebrew word for “wait” as in waiting on the Lord. It noted that this word also means to bind together, to entwine. It pointed out that this is a lovely image of waiting as not just an idle activity, but as an active pursuit, to tie our hearts to His heart. To seek His kingdom and His glory.
He calls us closer to Him. Psalm 27:8 NLT says “My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Friends, if we’re waiting on the Lord, we should seek Him actively so our faith does not grow stagnant.
I love the Passion Translation of Psalm 27:14: “Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting – for he will never disappoint you!”
Friends, this idea of waiting while seeking His heart encourages me. Sometimes it can feel empty to wait and wait. It encourages me that the Lord is near and wants us to come close. He has not forgotten you, but loves you and cares for you. Rest in Him. Walk with Him today.
Thank you for joining me here today on the blog! <3, Cristin
I have a few design notes for this page. In case you were wondering about the painted background technique behind the floral heart. I painted alternating stripes onto my page with pink, teal & orange acrylic paint. After drying, the stripes looked too plain, so I tore skinny strips of washi to layer on top, along with dots of black marker and white gel pen. I added a few stripes of white paint on top.
I used a hole punch to make the heart into a tag, and tied on a fabric bow. By laying the heart onto the page so it hangs off the edge, it doesn’t create bulk, but still adds texture. I did the same thing with the tag on top of the page, but on a smaller scale.
