Dough rises

Anticipation is a thankless word. Oh, waiting is such a dastardly idea. I have nothing that resembles patience, and therein lies the rub.

The Bible says in Malachi, "See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight -- indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. But who can endure th day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?"

Today is a strange day in the neighborhood. It's dark outside, so dark I must turn on the lamp on my desk to see my Bible. It's been raining most of the night, a slow,deliberate soaking rain as the too warm weather begins to change again toward what I hope is a cool, dry Thanksgiving.

We're at that time of the year when plans are made for family get-togethers and we wait for the holiday pageantry and worship. It's all in the waiting, you see?

In Luke's Gospel, the disciples began to understand what was happening around them. We read, "16-17They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them. They were quietly worshipful—and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, "God is back, looking to the needs of his people!" The news of Jesus spread all through the country. 18-19John's disciples reported back to him the news of all these events taking place. He sent two of them to the Master to ask the question, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?"

The question today isn't necessarily are you waiting, but what are you waiting for? Have you put off something that the Lord has placed on your heart and in your mind? Have you stalled when you should be going forth? Or are your running ahead of God, pushing your agenda upon Him instead of waiting for His word to become clear?

This whole waiting thing is difficult for me. There is no waiting to be found in me at a DNA level. I want change to come, quickly, because I detest going through change. I can't wait to get to the other side of change.

Jesus said, "How can I picture God's kingdom? It's like yeast that a woman works into enough dough for three loaves of bread—and waits while the dough rises."

I, we, are the dough. We've been worked upon by our Master. Can we wait till we rise? Can we? Will we?