Reflections: But I want it now

This past weekend, we made a quick trip to Kansas for our grandson’s fifth birthday. There had been weeks of anticipation on our grandson’s part—toys he hoped to receive, “maybe when you’re five” privileges, the Mario Kart-themed cake at the local bakery, and repeated reminders to Nana about the date. It was hard for him to wait! 

My grandson isn’t the only one, though. We have all become accustomed to getting things quickly. People my age remember waiting for letters in the mail when a loved one was traveling or serving in the military; waiting for the newspaper or evening TV news to find out what was going on in national or world events; or waiting for lunch to cook on the stove. Now we have text messages instantly, zap lunch in the microwave, and are bombarded by 24/7 news overload. Anyone remember using card catalogs? Today’s students can find links to any research topic in less than a second. 

Some things, though, still just plain take time. After recently injuring my pinky toe, the four-week healing seemed to crawl by with nothing the doctor could do to speed it up. My neighbor is in the process of cancer treatment, facing several months. My young adult son is finally seeing hope for a much-anticipated career breakthrough, but it has taken several years. 

Many of the Psalms show that having to accept waiting time is not a new thing. In Psalm 31, David references numerous times of waiting, crying out, “Come quickly to my rescue!” (v. 2). Yet he still encourages himself, and us: “My times are in your [God’s] hands” (v. 15) and “Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the Lord” (v. 24, BSB). Psalm 27 also wraps up with, “Wait patiently for the Lord!” (v. 14, BSB). 

New Testament writers also knew something about waiting. A recent devotional from Faith Gateway pointed out that on the liturgical calendar, we tend not to think about the eight days between Jesus’ Ascension and Pentecost, preferring to skip right from celebrating the Resurrection to recalling the fiery empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Yet, Jesus had told them to wait for the promised Comforter (John 14). 

It probably wasn’t easy; during those eight days, I wonder if some revisited regrets about deserting Jesus during his arrest, or were still trying to sort out his remarks about the future Kingdom, or wondered how they would accomplish his instructions of the Great Commission. But they waited, and the power came! 

And we’re still waiting. When the Apostle Paul wrote about the “fruit” of the Holy Spirit, patience made the list. Paul also wrote, in his letter to Titus, about “the blessed hope”

(Titus 2:12-13) that helps us endure hard times and live godly, upright lives. My dad certainly exemplified that hope. During his last months of his life, he still listened with interest to news of world events and often prayed, “Come, Lord Jesus!”  

Maybe we need to reconsider some of the benefits of waiting. Whether it’s for a birthday present, the car or trip we’re saving up for, or a health outcome, we can use that time as David did, to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and presence. 

Jesus didn’t comfort his disciples with a definite timeline; He gave them a promise. We too have that promised Holy Spirit, to help us not only to wait patiently through inconveniences and hard times on this earth, but look forward to the promised eternal kingdom to come!