Patience, Mary, Patience

I hope you all don't get sick of Beth Moore by the time I'm done with this study, because I have a feeling I'll be sharing quite a bit about David in the next 8 weeks or so. Last night in our group, we started talking about preparation and how many of the "heroes" in scripture had a time of growth and being with the Lord before they were called to do what they are so famous for. Obviously, David was the first one who came to mind since we're studying him. Think of how many hours he had alone with God when he was out tending those sheep. Many of the Psalms were written during this quiet time in David's life. He also got to practice his "battle skills" on the lion and the bear!

Think about Moses and the years he had to spend as a shepherd before the Lord sought him out in the form of the burning bush. Those shepherding years were certainly not as thrilling as parting the Red Sea, and yet, they had to come first so that Moses would be ready for that very moment. Samuel was raised by the priest Eli - what better preparation could he have than that? And the list goes on and on. Even our Lord Jesus had quiet times to be with the Father and "refill his cup".

So what's the point? The point is something that I needed to hear and I hope it's something you can use too. JJ and I feel a bit stuck because we want to be in Africa. We felt that the Lord was calling us here for JJ to continue his education and so that we would be better prepared for the field, but sometimes it's just hard to wait. But then I think of all these great men and the times in their lives that they were waiting for bigger things. They didn't know what was coming their way. They didn't know what they were being prepared for. The truth is, neither do we. But I can trust in the Lord's perfect timing and his plan for us - that when we're ready, He's going to use us in a way that will glorify Him. And I can be looking for ways that He can use me today, even in the middle of West Texas. Now if I can just get my head out of the sand so I can respond when he calls . . .