Waiting

Christopher Rath

1989-11-15

                 Home Group 16 Nov'89 - "Waiting"

Waiting:  2 ways --> Man's Way
                     God's Way

MAN'S WAY:

     1 Sam 13:2-15
        - What label could you give Saul's actions?
               * Disobedience?     * Doubt?
        - Was Saul the only one who doubted?  -- No!  The people did...
               * numbers dwindled from 3000 to 600
               * the people hid and ran away
        - Attacking the Philistines seems to be ok w/God (see
          1 Sam 10:7-8)
        - Imagine what happened
      NB. vs. 14 "...will not continue..." KJV  God has already chosen
          someone else to lead.

GOD'S WAY:

     John 11:1-45
        - What a contrast in actions between Jesus and Saul!!
        - We can learn about waiting from this
        - When I was in the basic training we spent a lot of time
          standing in lines waiting -- they often told us "Hurry up and
          wait"
               * how do you think Jesus spent His time waiting?
                    ~ praying, healing, preaching . . .
               * he didn't sit on His duff awaiting "Forward Ho!" from
               God
        - See vs. 9 -- we've got to trust in God using His word to
          light out path as we actively "wait"  <-- a verb!!


1) We need to fully prepare for what we believe God wants us to do.

2) We must continue to be faithful where He has us for now.

3) We need to continue to develop our relationship with Him.

In both readings, events go beyond when WE would think it's time --
then just in time, God acts.
   * But remember John 15:14-15, where Jesus our friend says he'll keep
     us appraised of the situation:
          "You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer
          call you servants, because a servant does not know his
          master's business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for
          everything that I have learned from my Father I have made
          known to you."
   * We can see this in action in vs. 4, 11, 14 of John 11 -- God keeps
     Jesus informed.


PERSONAL E.G.:

     I finished one job and was looking for another -- wrote lots of
     letters and visited many businesses.  Just after New Year's a
     friend's brother died -- so because I wasn't working I was able to
     go to Montreal and be a support.  I returned to Ottawa the day
     after the funeral and a phone message was waiting for me -- I had
     an interview, and got the job.  Was the first interview!!