The Circle Maker Devotion- part 5 (The Waiting Game)

For those following along with the study on The Circle Maker, our ladies' group covered chapters 10-12 last Thursday.  For those who missed it, let me catch you up.  Batterson starts off the chapter giving a story of a seminary that was facing bankruptcy and needed help right away.  One of the men on the faculty prayed that God owned the cattle on a thousand hills, so could He please sell some cattle.  While praying, a $10,000 check was given.  This brought Batterson to the thoughts that God seems to wait until the last moment sometimes to move.  He mentioned that he stood on JEJIT.  This meant just enough just in time.  The Israelites were given manna daily.  It allowed them to trust and rely on God daily.  Batterson told the story of a woman who had given up her job to work with the poor.  One day, she felt the Holy Spirit prompt her to pack a pair of woolly socks.  She felt it was a strange request, but she did it.  As she arrived at work, she found a prostitute passed out at the door.  She carried her in and held her until she became conscious.  She asked the woman, "If you could have anything, what would it be?"  The woman replied, "woolly socks."  On giving the woman the socks she had just packed, the woman even excitedly said they matched her outfit.  When God prompts us, we need to listen.  God guides us in the direction we should go, but sometimes the guidance is to wait.  The Israelites were told to wait as the Egyptian army was pursuing them.  They had the Red Sea on one side and a quickly approaching enemy on the other.  Just as the enemy got near, the Red Sea parted.  God moved just enough just in time.  Batterson mentioned that in Revelation 3:7-8 that God holds the key of David.  He opens doors no man can shut and shuts doors no man can open.  The mayor of David's palace held a key that made it so there was nothing the man could not open or lock.  Jesus, the Son of David, now holds the key that gives us access to God's promises.  I can't tell you how many times I've prayed that God shut doors that aren't His will and open doors that are His will.  Sometimes doors shut that I really wanted to stay open.  Later, I realized that if I went through that door, I would have missed out on much better opportunities. Batterson mentioned that praying for God's will takes perseverance.  It takes some sleepless nights and long prayers.  It seems that you've waited forever, but then God moves just enough just in time.  I had been feeling a little down about some things going on in my life.  As I started to throw myself a pity party, I prayed, "God, if you really care, show me."  As I sat in the sound booth at church working the Powerpoint for my husband, I notices a paper sticking out of a binder.  I pulled out the paper and saw the notes from a guest speaker that had been at our church years earlier.  I'm not even sure who the speaker was, but the notes had a certain phrase highlighted over and over throughout the sermon.  It said, "God is faithful to keep His promise."  I don't know how much more specific God could be at showing me that He will finish what He started.  Even though you are in the moment of "wait," it doesn't mean that God is done.  It just means He is putting His plan into motion and orchestrating the situation so that He arrives just enough just in time.  So while I wait, it would be the perfect time for me to fill that wait time with some conversation between God and I.  And when He moves, it will be no surprise because I've already built trust in God through a relationship of prayer.
Have a great week high-heeled warriors!