A long wait yet, it's worth it

In this fast paced, micro wave, instant culture that we live in the term wait is nearly considered profane language. No one wants to hear it, but it is something that all of us have to do, but none of us like doing it. Everyone needs a rush and no one wants to wait. There are nearly 1 billion people in America out of work right now and they are waiting on an employment opportunity. There are people in ICU and CCU at local hospitals and if you frequent the waiting room right now they will tell you that they are waiting on the test results, waiting on the doctor to stop by and waiting to see what the diagnosis says. There are people that are standing in line at Wal-Mart and they are waiting to get to the register, older people are waiting to be appreciated for their years of hard work, young people are waiting to be grown so that they can leave the house and come home when they please, and poor people are waiting to win the lottery so that they can
see what it feels like to be rich. Even though we are all in a rush, waiting seems to be the order of the day.

You see, everyone has to wait! But, there comes a moment in your wait when the wait is over because your turn is next! And that's the Word of healing that the Lord has given us today from His Word! Here's the Word for you today. God has watched you wait long enough and He is about to move on your behalf because He is in your area and your turn is next!

In the Gospel according to St. John 5:1-9 there is a story written of a man who had to wait a long time before his healing came. After thirty eight years his turn came next! God never forgets us no matter how bad it seems. Now here's a good question for you to consider, how do you know when your turn is next?

You know that it's your turn when waiting has become your place of worship. Real worshippers don't just worship at church. But, they worship in a place called the waiting room. It's the place where you are trapped between where you are and where the Lord is taking you and instead of complaining you have just learned how to say thank you while you wait for your change to come. This man in the passage has been waiting for thirty-eight years. Two years short of an entire generation. The amazing part about this record is that we have no complaint launched at all by this waiting warrior. Why? Because he has learned the art of waiting. Here's a great devotional question for you to consider. Have you learned to worship while you wait? If so, what proof do you have? (Read Psalms 40:1-2; Isaiah 40:28-31).

You know that it's your turn when life is at its worse and winning is a matter of spiritual warfare. Here's the truth about waiting, it can make you want to quit, give up, walk away, and throw in your towel. But, that's when you have to roll up your sleeves and say to yourself "I've come too far to give up now! I've just got to wait!" The man in the text has to fight to stay sane. It is spiritual warfare at its best. He has an internal condition, that is causing external problems. He is paraplegic and to make matters worse he has "so-called" friends who are determined to rob him of his blessing. The text puts it on this wise, "every time the water is troubled another steppeth down before me." But, here's what he decides to do, he fights for what he has until he gets what he wants! Here's the greatest footnote of the day, waiting can be a place of warfare and you must find ways to encourage yourself until your healing comes. And the way that you do that is to remind yourself that the Lord is still faithful no matter how long you have to wait and He is not going to let you down. (Read Prov. 3:5-6; Psalms 121:1-3).

You know that it's your turn when the Word brings healing your way. When you are the one waiting you have questions for God. We ask God questions like "why me?", "how long?", "when will my breakthrough happen?", and "if you're God, why won't you help me?" But, when your turn is next and your wait is over, God brings you a Word that has within it questions for you. Jesus asked this man, "do you want to be made whole?" In other words, are you ready for your situation to change? Now here's what's deep. The man in the text does not say yes. The lesson is that when it's your turn, it's your turn even if you're not ready for it. Nothing can stop your turn from happening, not even you. God has some questions for you right now. Listen to His Word to those that are unemployed, God says, "what's that in your hand?" If you just start with what you've got I will do the rest. Listen to His Word for those hurting, confused, bewildered and down, "who told you that you were naked?" God is saying "I know your condition but I am getting to redo your position so that blessing flows in your direction" Here's the healing word of the day, RISE!!!! That's what the Lord wants you to do because you've been down too long. (Read Romans 8:28).

You know that it's your turn when the was of your past becomes the witness for your future. Keep this in mind and never let it leave you. God allows you to be next so that you can tell the rest. If you don't tell it you've missed it. Jesus tells this man to rise, but He also tells him to take up his bed and walk. The same bed that held him down is now what he is told that he should hold up. The stuff that's been keeping you down will soon become the thing that you lift up. The Lord will not let you throw it away and hide it. But, He wants you to take it with you so that the world will know that you have been delivered and set free. It is a witness that your turn was next. Here's a great concluding question, how would you act if your turn was today? Don't wait until it happens, worship while you wait and know that your turn will be next