I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
Psalm 130:5-6 ESV
Travel is waiting. It’s the phrase H repeats whenever I get impatient with delayed flights and traffic jams on long road trips.
We’re travelling every day on this pilgrimage of faith, resting on the wall of whoa, waiting for the fulfillment of promise. The slow rise of hope glowing golden on the horizon.
As we enter the season of Advent tomorrow, may He give us a sense of wonder in the wait. Little crumbs of hope along the journey reminding us we are on the right path leading home.
Looking for some Advent reading? I’ve got some new treasures in my reader by some of my favorite authors: Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent by Enuma Okoro, Touching Wonder: Recapturing the Awe of Christmas by John Blase and the Jesse Tree Advent Family Devotional by Ann Voskamp.
Welcome to the Weekend Friends!
My husband’s parents had a vacation saying. “Hurry up and have fun.” Vacation days started early and ran late. Enough to tucker one right out.
I like H’s take: “Travel is waiting.” We need to rest more on that wall of whoa.
Like that Sandy, hurry up and have fun. Think I’ll use it with my kids.
Hi Shelly
Oh, that waiting!! Such and easy word to say…such a difficult thing to do!! I think of waiting as God’s gift, for on my own, I cannot always do that with style and poise. Yes, I call it at times the wonderful annoyance of waiting, waiting on Him.
Bless you
Mia
The word seems to be my theme this week Mia. Was thinking about my post over at Tanya’s place being about waiting as a form of common suffering. Thanks for stopping by, your comments are always so thoughtful and generous.
Yes, Shelly, “a sense of wonder in the wait”! (And “Travel is waiting”!)
I have been “with” you in your present pilgrimage, including in my prayers, and identify with it more than you know. My husband & I have been what I’ve called “church nomads” for over two years now, but actually it’s been enlightening pilgrimage more than aimless wandering. I wrote a comment about it long enough to be a post, but shied away from publishing it, as either comment here or post on my own blog. If you leave a comment on my blog, I’ll send it to you via email. Meanwhile, may God bring you many surprises of grace during this season.
Good to know Sylvia, seems that there are many in a similar place on the journey. Would love to connect with you on email, left you a comment.
Hi Shelly. This is beautifully written, as usual. Tough topic though. The greatest example I have in my life at present, is that of my son and daughter-in-law. For two people so young, it is a wonder to behold their patience and long-suffering in the dreams they hold for their marriage. So many, many things they’ve prayed and prayed about…and consequently wait and wait. I know they couldn’t make it through without the Lord. I admire them so, and am always learning through their example to me.
I thought about you and them when I was putting this post together. We find common ground in the suffering of patiently waiting for that which we hope as fellow pilgrims. Praying for you all.
In the waiting… so much is learned as we are prepared for the purposes ahead! 🙂 Great post… stopping by from Sandra’s – Blessings
So very true. It’s the hope we have in the silence of waiting. That He will find us trustworthy for what lies on the other side of waiting.
I’ll be reading through Watch for the Light again, as well as Mandy Steward’s new ebook Come Thou Long Expected, which leaves room for art journaling. I don’t remember much about Advent growing up so I’ve tried to be more present and reverent of the season the last couple of years. There are so many parallels between my own seasons of waiting and the expectancy of Advent. It’s good and hard but mostly good.
Leigh, thanks for sharing those titles, they are both new to me. I started Enuma and John’s books today and really love them both. We read Ann’s Jesse tree devotional with the kids and its perfect for a before dinner discussion. I don’t remember celebrating Advent much as a child either. We became more intentional about it when we joined the Anglican trail. And I can relate to what you said about the parallels between real life and the season of Advent, I’m there also.
‘little crumbs of hope’ … this is sweet!
Remember ‘they who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength”…
the wait … a necessary passage
Waiting, yes. It’s our sweet privilege–but I don’t value it as I should. Thanks for this reminder, Shelly.
I think God’s been leading me on a waiting path for a long time…but I love finding those “crumbs” he leaves to show that He really is there, purposely leading even when i don’t see… Love that Psalm. And I always think of “watchmen” as the “prayer warriors” because God spoke that into me once when reading Nehemiah… Blessings on your advent!
Me too Pam, on a long season of waiting, mine has been almost ten years for some unanswered prayers. But its been a real time of deep growth for which I can look back on with a smile, even though its been painful. That verse is especially dear to my heart when someone spoke it into my life prophetically, saying the words “your a watchman on the wall, seeing things before they happen.”
Shelly, your imagination never ceases to amaze me–wall of whoa! Wow! I love that! But I love here that you also bring anticipatory delight to waiting, rather than only seeing it as an endless drudgery. I have been *waiting* for some promises to be fulfilled in my life for a very long time, where, metaphorically, I have been suspended in God’s chrysalis crucible. And yet, what happens there? Is it a womb of whoa? No. It is a womb of transformation. I can’t see change, but I must trust the One who bade me enter into the darkness and who promises to redeem the wait, that it *is* transpiring. Something is shaping up where I can’t see or hear it. And that’s what we are doing now–waiting in the silent darkness of Advent. But this pilgrimage will end with the arrival of light and rejoicing and the heralding angels filling the skies over Bethlehem … with glittering wings and glorious hallelujahs. Every day (or nearly so, because you don’t write here every, single day :-), you spread glimmers of hope, glowing golden and gladdening the horizon. And I want to thank you for helping hope rise in hurting hearts. You are such a remarkable blessing, Shelly!
Love,
Lynn
I can really relate to all you’ve shared here Lynn and love the imagery of the chrysalis crucible. So much of what He does is underneath the soil of our soul and perhaps I’m passing on the glimmers of hope He gives me along the way. So thankful you see it that way.
Oh I absolutely do see it that way. And what you say here about the soil is rich. It’s the process of assimliation that must go on underground, unseen……that patient work of growth.
You touched my heart and mind [feeling, thinking] as usual. Turning only to our Lord and focusing on Him when the “roads” are moving too slowly, time is stressing us… He is all that counts and the only One we can count on.
Blessings… and so looking forward to this next 3 weeks, just to have Him on my heart and in front of my eyes [tree lights, nativity sets] most hours of all days. Love it.
I love the celebratory seasons too, they carry joy and expectancy with them, breaking into the ordinary and reminding us of His goodness.