Waiting For God

The Bible Study guys spoke about waiting for God, and the things we felt about waiting out this quarantine period.  Some gave examples of things they were doing, but there were other things that they couldn’t do, like get their kids more interested in going to church, and on those things, they were waiting for God, and trusting for God to act in these instances.  After a few examples, a trend became obvious:  we were turning to God when we couldn’t get our way.  God was a last resort, and then we waited for Him.

Our study leader turned to the Book of Esther, for an example of someone who waited for God’s help in a crisis situation.  But upon reading Esther, it was noted that the Queen didn’t just wait.  She heard that the Jewish nation was about to be destroyed, and she wanted to act, to call on the king’s help, but she feared his reaction.  So, she clothed herself in ashes and sackcloth, and pled for God’s mercy, much like Nineveh did to avoid God’s punishment.  Then Queen Esther did what she believed God wished her to do, and then waited for His answer.  And He answered her prayer.

The Bible Study guys talked about what they were doing while waiting out this quarantine.  Some golfed, some did chores, one is selling his house.  But then the leader asked:  What do we think February, 2021 will look like?  No one had any confidence they knew.  One mentioned that the Panera’s we met at for 10 years each Friday morning (before our present Zoom meetings) will not reopen again; they are opening a drive through store somewhere else.  Other local downtown restaurants will open next week, with outdoor seating and 25% indoor capacity.  They will survive the summer, but next fall?  And we live in a fairly upscale community.  What will happen in poorer ones?  And what will next February look like there, and here?

Queen Esther and Nineveh saw disaster on the horizon, and prayed and fasted as the focus of their life, praying for God’s mercy.  Should we be passing the time golfing or cleaning, waiting for God to act, or should we be following Esther and Nineveh’s example, praying for God’s mercy?  Or, should we NOT be focusing on things we want to do, but rather be asking God:  what would YOU want me to do? 

“Lord, You said to Love God and Love Neighbor; these were the key commandments.  Lord, how would You have me love my neighbor in these times of trial?”

Or are we content to just sit back and wait, and see what God does?

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The priest was talking about the 10 Commandments, when I had a thought:  I usually don’t think of myself as breaking any of those commandments.  I don’t steal; I don’t kill; I don’t commit adultery; I don’t lust after anything (anymore, anyway).  Yet, looking at what is going on in our country right now, I wonder if others would view their actions the same way --- if they ever considered the 10 Commandments.  Jesus summarized it into two commandments of love; at the root of our country’s sins is there a failure to love?  Certainly, the peaceful marchers are saying that.  I’m sure Congress will find a way to throw money at the problem, but can you buy love?  I once wrote a letter to VP-Elect Pence suggesting he form a Big City Czar, whose job would be to effect REAL change in big cities, with measurable progress required.  Certainly, police might be a problem, but schools (charter or otherwise), families, and faith are underlying root causes of big city problems.  How can tiny African villages have such happy people, when the poorest of our big city people have so much more --- and are miserable?  This too, is another thing to pray for God’s mercy.  History has saints who changed the world; we could use some now.