I am waiting on You, Lord and I am hopeful. The wait is painful, but patiently I will wait.
I will move ahead bold and confident, taking every step in obedience.
While I’m waiting, I will serve You,
while I’m waiting, I will worship,
while I’m waiting, I will not fade.I’ll be running the race, even while I wait.

In the movie Fireproof, a husband fighting for his marriage begins a spiritual journey by choosing surrender and obedience to God’s plan regarding truly loving his wife.  The process is slow, and even painful at times. Because of her own hurt and many years of distance, his wife rejects his many attempts to move toward her through loving actions.  But after aruguing with God and wondering if it’s even worth it, he decides to continue in the process and WAIT ON GOD to work in his marriage.  The wait proves to be worth it.  It’s a happy ending, you could say.

What about real life though?  When there is no happy ending … yet.  We struggle, we cry, we hurt.  The pain is deep and daily.  Sometimes we even hide.  I am reminded of the times I’ve cried out to God in my despair and discouragement.  Are you going to rescue me?  Are you there, God?  Do you see my pain? We grow weary to the point of stumbling and falling. Like Job, we begin to question.  And like Job, we may have to face a difficult reality.  Even without answers, will we trust God?  Isn’t it interesting that when Job asked God why he was experiencing all of his suffering, God never told him why.  God simply reminded Job of who He was.
Isaiah gives us insight into this way of thinking:
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

In our times of waiting on God – and in my lifetime, it seems like this has been frequent – it’s hard to find hope.  I’m talking about the hope of the Bible.  Expectant hope.  Anticipating hope.  Believing hope.  TRUSTING hope.  Truth is, though, hope is the essence of faith in Christ.  It’s entrusting our lives into the hands of our Creator, knowing that He is shaping us.  Refining us.  And because He is the everlasting God, even when I can’t understand all His ways, I must choose to trust and obey and hope.  I choose to put my trust in the God of Job. Even though I don’t understand the way that He works sometimes, I have decided that I will trust His heart because He has been faithful to me so far.  I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er.

The message this morning from James said for us to be “patient until the Lord’s coming.”  Like a farmer.  Like the prophets. Like Job.  We are to work – that is, we are to serve Him.  And we are to worship Him while we wait.  We are not to fade before the end. In the movie, there is a happy ending.  In my life, there is too.  God has promised that the ending to my life story is a happy one. It is coming one day. I’m praying for God to produce more and more hopeful patience within me.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles.  They will run and not be weary, they will walk not faint.

Thank you, Lord, for a good morning in Your house with Your people.  Thank You that Melody was sitting beside me this morning.  Use me in her life. Thank You that there is a melody of hope in my heart this afternoon and in all of life’s ebb and flow.  Jesus fills my every longing and keeps me singing as I go.