Waiting for the Lord -- Cindy Sproles

- Listen to Wait on the Lord - by Cindy Sproles


"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”- Psalm 27:14

The blow dryer hummed as the warm air whipped my hair into my eyes. I brushed the strands to one side stopping long enough to glance in the mirror. My fingers pushed their way through my hair and I noticed the layer of gray beneath the red. A smile. I realized red-heads don’t gray very well. This was not something I’d waited for.

Through the years I’ve done a lot of waiting. You’d think with all the practice, I’d have gotten better at it, but I’ve not. After all, I waited nine months for both my sons and I waited 30 years to graduate college. Just when, I was sure I’d become a pro, He makes me wait again.

I’ve never quite figured out waiting on the Lord. How do you wait on someone whose minute is like a thousand years? What does He expect from us? We need some sort of viable time frame—one we can wrap our heads around
.
In recent months I’ve done a lot of praying….praying for a friend. I’ve waited for an answer and waited, and waited. Even changed up the prayer thinking if I prayed differently God’s time would change . But He’s been pretty quiet.

So, oddly enough, I find myself waiting yet again, my sons saying, “Mom, wait for it. Just wait for it.” I just never anticipated fine lines and gray hair would be part of the process. But God is teaching me. We never grow too old to learn. God grooms us through the indifference of waiting. And through the waiting He teaches us discernment. Who’d have thought it would be so hard?
When I’m patient He provides for me in amazing ways. I have to leave things alone completely, not jump the gun, and God always provides—but in His time.

Do you feel like you spend your time waiting? Asking but never getting?

Then take time to pray that God will bless the waiting. Let Him take your fears, requests and joys. Let him teach you to wait and then provide you with amazing rewards.

“I’m still waiting Lord –just like you asked. Waiting.”


Cindy Sproles and Eddie Jones
write the He Said, She Said
Devotions and are co-
founders of ChristianDevotions.us

The Same but Different -- Sue Payne

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

The full moon appeared in the crystal, clear night sky above the tips of tall evergreen trees lining the highway. The reflected light disguised the stars as its brilliance cast shadows within the car. “Mommy, where did the moon go?” Our direction had changed, causing the moon to “hide” below the tree line. “I think the moon is playing hide and seek!” I replied, “But it’s still there.” The moon “magically” hid and reappeared again and again, peeking out in new locations as we traveled. The entertainment continued until the moon rose too high in the sky to be seen through the car windows.

This game sparked interest in the different phases of the moon. Suddenly aware of this heavenly body, the boys began to notice the obvious changes in its size and shape. The questions came again. “ What happened to the moon?” “Did a piece break off?” “Why isn’t it the same as yesterday?” With the help of a library book, I was able to show them that part of the moon was just hiding, but it was the same moon and it was still there.

In my travels with the Lord He has appeared different at times along the road. As my life took turns for the worse, He was my strength and comfort. Climbing the mountains of success, He became my praise. On the back roads of uncertainty, He was my confidence. When I was running scared and feeling lonely, Jesus was my only hope. My journey has taken many turns, but God has remained my constant, unchanging companion and friend.

Truly, there have been times in my walk with Christ when I wondered where God was. I have ventured alone in the direction of my own desires, sorrows, and fears suddenly finding myself lost for lack of light. When I turned around I found that I was casting the shadow that hid His presence.

With the help of the book, the Bible, the Lord showed me I was the one who was hiding, and that He was there, still the same, seeking me.

Have you wondered lately where God is? He’s still there, still the same but different so that for every turn your life makes His light may shine for you and in turn you might be a reflection of His never changing love: yesterday, today, and forever.

Sue Payne is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in home schooling newsletters and church news bulletins. She is experienced in curriculum planning and design and uses her writing skills to encourage and teach others. Sue lives in Delaware, is married, and has two boys whom she home schooled for a total of fourteen years

Prayer is Just Talking.....

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians5: 16 & 17

When I attended Johnson Bible College, I had the privilege of being taught by a prayer warrior. This professor, older by the standards of the majority of the faculty, was an amazing man of prayer. It was not uncommon to walk along the loop at the college and see him standing in the back yard, white hair glistening in the sun, head bowed, hands behind his back. He believed in conversation, true and continued conversation with the Father.

His devotion to this quiet time impressed me when there was a campus wide prayer vigil. Students signed up for fifteen minute prayer times which continued around the clock for a full weekend. My prayer time was 10:00 p.m. and when I arrived, he was there. The chapel was quiet and lights were offering a soft glow off the stained glass windows. He pulled the list of student names and marked me present.

“How long have you been here?” I asked assuming he was taking the night watch for student protection.

“All day.” He whispered.

“All day? When do you go home?”

“Tomorrow night, when we’re finished.”

“Good grief. Aren’t you tired?”

“Yes. But it’s fine because if a student misses their prayer watch, then I step in and fill the gap. I don’t want the vigil to be broken.”

That was dedication.. I learned a great deal from his example. What I saw was something my own life desired – a deeper, more abiding relationship with the Father. The only way to achieve that was to commit to it and learn to talk to God anytime, about anything –continually. It took a long time to learn to pray frequently – in fact, to take the act seriously. Often, saying we’ll pray for someone good Christian lip service. But to follow through…..that’s hard.

Like anything we chose to do, practice makes us better. Am I where I should be in my prayer life? By the standards of my professor – no, but I’m learning. It becomes easier to talk to God when we make the effort, especially when Satan tries to distract us. Take your relationship with the Father seriously. Develop it by spending time talking to Him. Prayer doesn’t have to be formal it simply has to be that necessary conversation with our Father.

So this morning I asked the Father, “You there? It’s 5:15 a.m.”

“Been here all night.” He replied.

“Don’t you ever rest – get tired of waiting on me while I sleep?”

“Nope.” The Father pulled me close and kissed my head. “I love talking to you. Look forward to it.”

“I understand that. But don’t you get tired?”

“No. Never. I listen constantly in case you need something. I listen for all my children. The problem is few of them talk. The more you talk, the clearer you see me.”

Though I’m sure, I’ll never understand God completely, He is right. The more I talk with him, the clearer I see Him. His appearance is only limited by my imagination, but I see Him everywhere I am. He is with me when I walk, when I work, and when I write. And I am relaxed in His presence, comfortable to tell him anything. He doesn’t give me everything I ask for when I pray. Sometimes He simply provides comfort, however He hears every word I speak. And He doesn’t suffer from selective hearing. So I keep talking. After all, praying is just talking.

“No.” the Father interrupted. “Praying is everything.”