Wait

Wait

by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, He replied.

I pleaded, and I wept for a clue to my fate,

And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait."

"Wait? You say wait?" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why.

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future, and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and you tell me 'wait'?

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,

Or even a 'no', to which I can resign.

"And Lord, you have promised that if we believe,

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:

I'm weary of asking: I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."

So I slumped in my chair; defeated and taut

And grumbled to God; "So I'm waiting, for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes met with mine

And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens, darken the sun,

Raise the dead, cause the mountains to run.

"All you see I could give, and pleased you would be.

You would have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;

You'd know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust, just by knowing I'm there.

You'd no know the joy of resting in Me,

When darkness and silence was all you could see.

"You would never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove.

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you'd know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of My comfort late in the night;

The faith that I give when you walk without sight;

The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask

From and infinite God who makes what you have last.

"And you never would know, should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'

Yes, your dreams for that loved one o'ernight could come true,

But the loss! If you lost what I am doing in you.

"So be silent, my child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all...is still...wait.

We all have experienced 'waiting' in one form or another; waiting for the light to turn green, waiting in the grocery line, waiting for an answer to prayer, waiting to hold your own bundle of joy. If you are anything like me, you want things, 'Chop! chop! right now!'. But unfortunately infertility doesn't work that way. Conceiving a child is truly out of our control.

Boy, this is an encouraging post, huh?

As I read this poem in the book by Jennifer Saake, Hannah's Hope, it reminded me of what the Lord has done and is doing in my life, while I wait. I believe He is working in you too! We don't understand 'why' the wait? Waz up with that, right? But truly, He is working in us and through us in ways we cannot see or fathom, reminding me of the scripture in Romans.

"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit."

Romans 5:3-5

For some of us, infertility feels like tribulation. Let the poem and its words bring to light what you don't understand as you are waiting. Somehow, let this scripture encourage you while you wait. God is working in us proven character, strength for the journey, hope that launches us into faith and a love for Him and others. As you are waiting, never give up! Keep the faith, my friend!

Praying for you today,

Lesli