Thursday, September 8, 2016
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Boy from Illinois moves to East Coast and develops love affair with ocean. The Illinois boy – me. And I would love to sneak away with my wife to the New Jersey Shore and just let the majesty of the ocean kind of mellow out my spirit. One time, we drove down to a nearby Shore point for a Sunday afternoon and the day was a 10. I mean, blue sky, blue ocean, white puffy clouds, warm temperature. (Wish I was a painter.) After a walk on the beach, we sat down on a pier to watch four surfers who were bobbing around in the water nearby. They were in their wet suits, hugging their surfboards, and staring at the swells out there that were trying to grow up and become big waves. It was close to low tide, but that didn't stop them. And were they focused! They didn't talk to each other, they never looked around. They just kept staring at the waves that might be forming. And when one started to build, they turned toward shore, lay down on their board, and started paddling furiously. And as that wave built under them, they stood on that board, and their waiting and watching suddenly turned to the excitement of riding the surf wherever it would take them.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Watching for the Wave."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from the writings of the Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk. God promised him that there was a mighty spiritual wave coming. Chapter 1, verse 5, "I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." While that promise, of course, had a specific application for that time, it may very well be that God wants you to be thinking that way. There may be a mighty work He's preparing to do in your life, through your life; something "you would not believe, even if you were told." But just like the prophet, it sure doesn't look like it now. There's not a big wave in sight.
But Habakkuk knew what to do when God promises a big wave is coming. Chapter 2, verse 1, "I will stand at my watch, and station myself on the ramparts." Kind of sounds like those surfers; watching, waiting expectantly. But maybe like your answer, your miracle, it's taking its time coming. Listen to the Lord's words to Habakkuk and I hope to you. Chapter 2, verse 3, "The revelation awaits an appointed time. Though it linger, wait for it, it certainly will come and will not delay."
It's coming! It will come at the perfect time. God has planned this all along. But apparently, it's going to come later than the time you think it should come. I've found that's almost always true. From God's perspective, "it will not delay." From your perspective, the word is "wait for it." That may be why the next verse says, "The righteous will live by his faith." Between the waiting time now and the wave of God's Holy Spirit, your job is to have faith, to watch for the wave, to be dressed for the wave, expecting the wave, ready to move like crazy when it comes. Act as if God's answer is coming, no matter how long it takes to arrive. And don't lose hope.
If you don't wait for the wave, you may just settle for hanging up your surfboard and trying to figure out your own way to make a wave or to get to shore. And you'll ruin what God is working on; this incredible thing He's planning that you wouldn't believe if He told you! But you'll ruin it if you give up, or you lose faith, or you take matters into your own hands, or you start trusting in you instead of in Him.
So, for now, get ready for the great wave of God. You know what the Bible says to do to get ready, "humble yourself, pray, seek God's face, turn from your wicked ways." (2 Chronicles 7:14) And then, like those surfers waiting patiently, expectantly watching for their wave, wait with patient faith for that mighty tide of God that is somewhere out there, moving your way.