waiting on the Lord

Yesterday afternoon, our weekly OMS and Friends Bible study group gathered on our porch for the first time in weeks. Not because things are better, but because we just had to spend the fuel, had to take the road risk, had to gather together and be--by our sheer presence in chairs--an encouragement to one another.  As soon as everyone arrived, the rain poured, poured so loud we couldn't hear each other, poured so hard that we were getting soaked through the screens, poured so hard that the tires cannot burn...and we studied Psalm 93, the floods lift up their roaring, mightier than the thunders of many waters is the Lord on high! Your throne is established from of old; you are everlasting.

It was a good, physical reminder, pouring out coffee into the cups of friends, that we are not alone.

I know that of course.  

Everyday, I gratefully stand with many.  Everyday, I pray with my 20 students, blessed beyond measure. Everyday, I walk from the stove to the sink with some sweet someone hanging on my leg and someone pulling on my arm. Every Sunday, I stand in awe of corporate worship, grateful to sway with the community.  Tuedays, I relish the rich time our staff commits to praying for our students and for each other.  I'm not alone for six whole seconds in any day.

And even if I were...even if I were, how close God comes when we're stretching, arms open wide, empty-handed. How close He is found in the desperate times, and the times are desperate. 

How close He draws in the waiting...and there is a lot of active waiting happening in our lives right now.

When will there be fuel? When will the increasing insecurity calm, instead? When will schools be able to open? When will something, someone break in, intercede, stop this?

We wait.  

Not alone.

If I were waiting on fuel, I'd be mightily discouraged today. If we were waiting on the government to say something, to do something, I'd be in the streets with rocks as well. If I were waiting on the faithfulness of man, I would be so sorely abandoned today.

But we are not. 

We are waiting on the Lord. 

The idea of "waiting on Him" lately washes over me again and again...what does that look like? 

He speaks softly with the rain to me on my waiting.  

It cannot be waiting with a stomach in knots, nor a frantic stir in my spirit. It is not with worry lines on my face, nor with fear shaking my hands.  

My soul waits for the Lord

More than the watchmen (who walk the Emmaus campus) wait for the morning

Psalm 130:6

I will wait with confidence that morning IS coming.

I will wait with my eyes up, with the majesty of His dark sky reminding me I'm not alone.

I will wait with his grace, like the cools rains that have finally come, on my face. 

I will wait for the morning, with HOPE. 

We are waiting, holding firmly to His peace and grace and the fullness of His love. 

As we wait, we send off two more of our Emmaus team today. Mark and MaryBeth came and did what they said they would come and do, with great love.  We are so thankful for them, for these last months of wrapping up their time with us well, and it is with full hearts (and lasagna) that we're sending them off today.

Ah, Sofie.

I popped into Matt's class Tuesday morning for a minute because I could hear the passion in Matt's voice through the wall, and I caught him preaching.

Preaching and teaching are often mixed with this one :)

I caught him preaching on why evil and darkness and fear have NO authority where the Christian leader stands...why Biblical holiness closes the door on any foothold Satan might pursue...on why we must be standing firmly on His promises and authority, blocking Satan's attempts in Jesus' might name for our churches, for our families, for our schools, for our communities, for our countries. For our country.

It was so exactly the message that needs to be being taught and lived right here and now that I found myself amen-ing with the hearty amens! of the first year class, visibly growing in their courage.

While we wait on the Lord, we're going to keep on teaching. and preaching. and praying. and believing what we're preaching.

Keep praying with us, we are so grateful. 

Pray especially for the continued safety of our staff and students as they come and go...we are working as we wait!