The Fun in Waiting
Posted on Nov 07, 2019 by William Canady
Isaiah, the prophet, said it well, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
As the new organist here at Salem, I have an interesting perspective. I have pastored in the Baptist denomination for many years, and I have learned that God indeed moves in interesting ways. It is uniquely funny that I am searching for a church to pastor and preach, but God has led me to a church in search of a new pastor under the care of a loving interim, Rev. Cynthia.
I want to offer a few words of encouragement about the waiting period.
First, trust God. You never know how much you understand God’s providence until you have to trust in it blindly. For many Christians, we trust God, but we have a backup plan in case things do not work out. Trust God, because God cares for us.
Secondly, believe in His Word. God can be trusted because God is faithful, because He said He would do certain things. Ephesians 4 gives the declaration God has given positions of spiritual gifting to the church for the edification of the saints. This tells me that God will direct me to a church to edify, and for us, will lead a new pastor to care for us and edify us.
Lastly, pray. I am not a Lutheran, but my favorite Lutheran is the great Martin Luther himself, and his words and his prayer life humble me. Imagine that, one man in communion with God, can indeed cause reformation in the world. Prayer is not just something we do during service, but rather communication with our heavenly father. I believe that God hears our prayers, and as Psalm 61 decrees, I believe that God gives heed to our petitions.
So, about this waiting thing. I believe in the waiting period, we can learn so much about our God and our faith. Waiting can be a good thing, but it is what you learn from waiting that can change your perspective in the meantime.
Let us wait on the Lord, for He cares for us.
On a personal note, special thanks to (Director of Worship) Heather for allowing me to serve, Rev. Cynthia, Church Council and elected members, and the congregation of Salem Lutheran Church for allowing me to help you week after week; I am humbled.
William Canady
Salem Organist