Part 2: Waiting and whirlwinds

"Both my babies came early, I can't imagine what the last 4 weeks of pregnancy are like," my friend said as she looked pitifully at me. At the time, I was 37 weeks pregnant, and took her sympathy, as it felt as though I had been pregnant forever. I told another friend recently, who is expecting herself, that the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy were the longest of my entire life. Then suddenly, with little warning and even less time to get to the hospital, my second born was here. The brief 4 hours were a whirlwind that I'm still processing 3 weeks later, going over how in the world did I deliver my own child? (If you haven't already read, and you want more details you can read my birth story here.) I think pregnancy is a perfect modern illustration how waiting can be prolonged, excessive in it's demands and entirely exhausting, but relief and resolution can come so swiftly and completely that we barely have time to react before being swept up by it.

The whole experience actually made me think about the Exodus, and what we now observe as Passover. For 430 years the Israelites cried out to God about their being enslaved. The harsh sun beat down on them, exacerbating the already cruel treatment they were getting from their Egyptian masters. In Exodus 3, God says, "I have seen the misery of my people. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned for their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them..." (vs 7-8) For 430 years, they cried out, and had to wait for redemption. I think of myself and how at some point, much like in pregnancy, I would have just accepted misery and given up on the idea of deliverance. 

BUT THEN, as wailing began to fill the night air while the firstborn children of Egypt were perishing, Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "UP! You and all the Israelites, your flocks and your herds, leave my people! GO!" The Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave quickly, in fear all of Egypt would die if they dawdled. So the Israelites grabbed the dough they were going to use to make bread and packed it into troughs, asked the Egyptians for clothes and gold and left. 430 years of crying out and redemption came so quickly that they didn't have time to prepare food for themselves for the journey. (Exodus 12:31-42)

The illustration of waiting doesn't end there. There was an additional 400 years of silence from God between the last prophet of the old testament, Malachi, and the one who would declare the coming of the Messiah, John the Baptist. Yet, despite those 400 years, 2 people are mentioned as maintaining devotion to God and righteous standing, and were allowed to recognize Jesus' divinity the day he was presented at the temple. Simeon, the officiating priest, took Jesus into his arms and said, "My eyes have seen salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all nations." Anna, an 84 year old prophetess, then approached them and gave thanks to God, speaking of the child to anyone who looked forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:29-38) But the work of that salvation and redemption would still need to wait, as it would be another 30 years before Jesus was baptized by John and began his ministry. (For those adding up the years, yes, this is another set of 430 years before God would again pour out His power on behalf of His people, though the display would be vastly different.) Much like in the works displayed in Egypt, the works of Jesus were so miraculous that in 3 short years, it overturned the preexisting order of things, and put into motion the final redemptive work of creation, His crucifixion, where he spoke, "It is finished." 

The prophet Nahum says the Lord's way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust at his feet. What does that image convey? From my understanding of the Word, it means that when God acts, the action comes through quickly, is ample and thorough and leaves no room for doubt. I think the reason our focus tends to be on the waiting, and how excruciating being in that state can be, is because that's the majority of our experience. Whether it's 40 weeks, 430 years or the exact amount you've been waiting for that prayer to be answered, it's no small amount spent and it's easy to become frustrated, angry or hopeless.

However, moving our focus from the waiting to the resolution is found in doing more than being patient, or trying to be strong. It is firmly standing on the established promises of God. "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are all YES in Christ. And through Him, the Amen is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Cor 1:20) Has He promised that goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life, but you're under a boss that's hellbent on making you miserable? Has He promised that you will have all your needs met, but you've been spinning your wheels and still come up financially insecure? Has He promised that you will be healed, but day after day, that same nagging pain reminds you that you're not yet? All of God's promises are Yes, and our agreement with that yes gives glory to God.

Whatever your prayer is, I say amen with you. I pray that your focus would be shifted toward the faithfulness of God no matter how long you've been waiting and these instances would bolster your confidence. If you would like to write that promise in the comments, I would love to pray in agreement with you. Blessed are they who believe that the LORD will fulfill His promises to them. (Luke 1:45)

Photo Credit: Jim Reed, Kansas Dust Devil