Waiting

Waiting is a hard thing for me. I've never been particularly good at it (my family can attest to this). I feel like this is something I have been having to do more often lately. I'm learning to be patient; patient in plans for the future, patient in relationships (or lack thereof) and patient in waiting for God's timing. Being patient is hard.

At the beginning of Trek in September, we were given Life Journals. This is a bible reading program essentially. Each day, we are given some scripture to read and then we journal about what we have read - what has stood out to us and how God spoke. Over the course of a year, I will have read through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice. Not long ago we finished reading through Exodus. I have a new appreciation for this book. I love how I can read a certain piece of scripture numerous times and each time God speaks differently to me through it. Talk about Living Word! Anyway, we had a team devotional time this past week and God reiterated a piece of scripture that stood out to me a few weeks back in Exodus.

The chapter is Exodus 24. I'm not going to write out the chapter, it's a tad lengthy, but I'll sum up a bit of it. God has called Moses, Aaron and 70 other leaders of Israel up to the Mountain of God. It's probably not a short journey up and they have no idea when they will be coming back down. They are just required to be obedient to God. They are told that they are going up on that mountain to worship - some from a distance, but Moses gets to worship God up close. One of our teammates pointed out this last week in our bible study time that so often when we plan a trip, we are focused not only in getting there, but also how we are getting back. These leaders of Israel probably functioned in a similar way.
I think too often we are overly focused on the journey as a whole - what will happen next. We have to have our plans made ahead of time and we forget to take the time to sit and enjoy the awesomeness of God's presence. I am so guilty of this. I like to know my plans, to have things figured out. I am not a fly by the seat of your pants sort of girl. During this journey up the mountain, Moses and the leaders had an incredible encounter with the Living God.

"There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a pavement of brilliant sapphire, as clear as the heavens...The awesome glory of the Lord on the mountaintop looked like a devouring fire".

On this journey, God altered their focus from the bigger picture to more of Him. They get up to the top of the mountain and they are told to wait. In their waiting process Moses and the seventy other leaders took the time to enjoy God's Holy presence.
I feel especially challenged by this story. I want to alter my focus as well. Rather than worrying myself with the details of the future, I am choosing to enjoy the waiting process and look for the presence of the Living God. I don't want to miss any chance at an encounter with the Lord.