Hannah, Part 4—Waiting

This week, we've been reading 1 Samuel chapter 1, which tells the true and remarkable story of the Almighty God and the humble woman, Hannah. We saw in Hannah an inspiring example and legacy of abiding in God. Over the past hundreds of years, millions of people have been encouraged by Hannah's life. I closed yesterday with a question that may have been a little disturbing. The question is: How will people reminisce about YOU?

If you think the implications for us of this idea of abiding in God are profound, you're right. The gospel of John, chapter 15, uses an analogy of the Vine (Jesus Christ) and its branches (us) to focus on the importance of abiding, God shows us clearly that one of our core values in worship is the discipline of abiding in Him.

To abide in the Vine means that we stay connected to God; we do not search elsewhere for that which - in reality - can come only from Him. As branches, we draw nourishment from that Vine. We are identified with that Vine. We are secondary to that Vine and we are stabilized by that Vine. That Vine is our support as well as our supply.

Inherent in the worshipful act of abiding, as Hannah discovered, is a dynamic, uncomfortable period. It's called the discipline of waiting. Abiding plays an important role in our response to one stress or another, as we pour our heart out to God. But abiding doesn't stop there. It continues to play a quiet, central role after we've poured out our heart to God. One way we abide, as worshipers, is when we wait on God.

During this parenthesis, this interruption of activity, we wait for His response to our request for help. We wait for His fruit to be produced in us. We wait for His work to be accomplished around and through us. We wait for His name to be glorified. I've experienced these waiting periods from time to time. I'm reasonably certain that you have, too.

Waiting is a very non-Western idea. You've heard the message over and over again: "I'll get back to you right away." "Can you fax it to me?" "We'll email it to you immediately." "Quick as a wink, away goes the stink." "Breakfast in 10 minutes, or it's free." "Don't keep the customer waiting." The very term "wait" suggests to us the unflattering thought that we are less important than someone else. God has a different view and a different set of priorities for us. He looks beneath the immediate "crisis" and checks our character to see how we are growing. In His good time (which is usually different than ours), He answers.

In the eyes of God, our inner life is more important to Him than our outer circumstances. (Our priorities are usually the reverse.)

God says, "Waiting can be beautiful." Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God." He wants us to cease striving, to relax, to let go. He is God, and He can handle it (whatever "it" may be). As Hannah let go of her burden and bitterness in the temple, so must we.

As we consider the value of waiting on God, it's helpful to remember that waiting may still be a time of action. For example, there was a time many years ago when my job was taken from me. With a young family to support, I had a serious need for immediate income. I went before God and presented my need to Him. But I needed to couple faith with works, as James exhorts us. I had to combine looking to God with looking for employment. Trusting in Him did not mean that I would sit at home and read comic books. I needed to do the work of searching for work. The worship of waiting does not necessarily free us from action. It frees us from something much more important: Waiting on God frees us from anxiety.

Waiting can also be renewing. Isaiah 40:31 says, "Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength." Those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. The idea of waiting is that of entwining one's heart with the Lord's. Have you ever seen a rose bush or bougainvillea vine entwine itself in an arbor? Little by little, it grows and entwines itself in the supporting framework. Eventually it forms a gateway of beautiful flowers? It takes time; it's a slow process. But the result is beautiful!

In the same way, as we wait on the Lord, we can allow our heart to do what it was designed to do: Our hearts were designed to be entwined with the heart of God. That takes time, but what a profound and wonderful experience that is for us. And what's the result? The result is that our strength is renewed, nourished, exchanged for His.

Waiting may be for a short time, a long time or a lifetime on earth. It is His time that counts. We are His workmanship, His work of art, and we dare not rush the Master. Now what about that opening question: How will people reminisce about you? I hope that part of your legacy is like Hannah's - they'll remember how you waited on the Lord.

© 2007 John Garmo. If you would be interested in using this article, please contact us at Info@MissionToChildren.org.