Waiting on God and obeying him, while important, are not a checklist
By Dean Collins
I said yesterday that God didn’t use formulas to do his work. It’s true, of course, that he is, as Scripture says, “the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” However, he expresses his kindness and love to us in ways unique for each of us, even as his faithfulness is always evident.
There’s much we can, and even should, do while we are waiting to experience the depth of the richness of the wisdom and knowledge of God. But beware. These strategies do not form a checklist that will produce or provide the results you want and on the schedule you have in mind.
Grateful for a group of dysfunctional believers
As Paul began his letter to the church in Corinth he began with gratitude as was his usual posture. I don’t know which scholar is right on the number of times Paul discusses or calls us to gratitude, but it’s at least 46 and maybe 49 separate occasions. Paul goes as far as telling us that being thankful is the will of God for us. Grateful hearts honor God and are expressions of worship. It’s not a formula, it’s an attitude that demonstrates humility.
What’s interesting to consider as you read 1 Corinthians is that Paul is grateful for a group of believers who are clearly dysfunctional in so many ways. This church is filled with some who think they are smarter or more gifted than others. Some of them are filled with pride over their spiritual gifts and dismissive of the sinful behaviors of some members. Paul will have strong corrections for this church, but those don’t change his gratitude for Christ and for the work of Christ still evident in this church despite her many problems.
Waiting for God who provides
The grace of God given in Christ Jesus, according to Paul, enriches our speech, deepens our knowledge, and confirms the truth of Jesus in us. This is powerful stuff. And there is more. In Christ we also are not lacking in any gift we need to survive till the end of our journey and to see the complete revelation of Jesus when he returns. You may feel you are not enough, but Jesus fills up all the empty spaces of our lives. And because of Jesus, we can stand guiltless on the last day. The debt he paid for us on the cross changes us and allows us to stand confidently, even in the most uncertain and unsettling of times.
But in Paul’s opening words, as well as in many places in Scripture, there is and will remain waiting. Waiting for harvest, waiting for the healing, waiting for both the justice and mercy of God to be fully present.
There is not a particular order in how we live daily on this side of eternity. Gratitude, praying, reading God’s Word, living like Jesus by offering grace and mercy and love— all are a part of each day. And of course waiting is as well. Find time to be still. Seek God’s Kingdom; love like Jesus every day. Don’t worry about a prescribed order. God will accept and bless our humble obedience. And I’m confident he doesn’t have a list he is checking twice to see if we followed someone’s interpretation of the proper sequence of our spiritual disciplines or our perfect interpretation and practice of doctrine.
God knows we are weak. And his wisdom, grace, and strength are available today and every day.
Your time with God’s Word
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 ESV
Photo by Артём Мякинник on Unsplash
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