I hate waiting! Even when I see the value of God’s timing, it’s still hard to be still and wait. This year has been lots of waiting. When will the other shoe fall? What are the tests results? How long can we hang on? What is next, Lord?
In the beginning…creation waited for God’s Hand. God waited for man’s love and obedience. Noah waited to stop on dry ground. Abraham waited on God to give him a child. Israel waited to be saved from slavery. Moses waited for the promised land. David waited on God’s time for him to reign. Daniel waited for Father to give him a vision. God waited for man’s love and obedience… the people waited for 400 years to hear from God. The world waited for a Savior.
I want to wait for you, Father, but please hurry. Saturday is painful. The time in between is difficult. A Savior hung on a cross on Friday but raised to give new life on Sunday. But what about Saturday? Uncertainty, fear and dread can engulf us. We wait for His return. We wait to be saved. We wait for relief from the burden of this world. We long for another place. It’s so easy to let worry and fret creep in like a serpent and take away our joy.
I sit on the edge of my bed and talk to Father. As I explain each concern to the One who already knows I almost say, “What’s next?!” but catch myself – that’s not a phrase I use! I don’t want to know! But then I hear Him so clearly in my spirit, “No, ask Me.”
I meekly say, ‘what?’
“Ask Me what’s next?”
‘OK, Father.’ I am mumbling now. ‘What’s next?’
“I AM! I’m what’s next. When you’ve done all you can. When your toes have hit the wall…I AM.”
I humbly stood in worship of the God who loves me. I was embraced by the great I AM.
Two thousand years ago the world said, ‘What’s next, LORD?’ and a gracious and mighty God said, “I AM!” He stepped down from a place of royalty and fame and humbled Himself into the flesh of a tiny baby. He became one of us. He gave up eternal being to become flesh and blood. He left Heaven to come beside us and feel our sorrows and pains and joys. He gave us a road map to the Father. He longed for us to be with Him and know Him, even knowing that man wouldn’t get it. He knew fully that He would be misunderstood, abused, rejected…and nailed on a cross, but He left the glory of Heaven anyway.
He wanted to be able to say, ‘I understand. I’ve been there too. I’m with you now. I made a way for you to have more than this. I will save you. I will wait with you so don’t worry; I’ve got tomorrow taken care of.’
I AM, God, the bread of life. I AM, God, the good shepherd. I AM, God, the Light of the world. I AM, God, the gate. I AM, God, the Resurrection and the Life. I AM, God, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I AM, God, the vine and I will graft you into my branches.
A waiting world, a beautiful star, a tiny baby… A hurting world, a sky full of stars, the blessed Holy Spirit… What’s next, Lord… I AM.
