God Is My Father, Not the Bus Driver — Blessing In Learning To Wait
[Today's thoughts continue from yesterday's post After Avatar: Passion's Threshold of Faith.]
Waiting often feels like inaction. How God views waiting and what He does in it surprised me with a true blessing.
Throughout my high school years, I was very familiar with public transportation. Every morning, I’d slide out from my warm covers right before the sun did, swung my backpack over my shoulder and lugged my violin case over to the bus stop.
And waited.
The bus usually came on time. Especially on days I saw it’s tail lights drive off, while standing just one streetlight away. But, sometimes, I’d end up waiting with minutes to spare.
Nose feeling numb in winter cold mornings, breath swirling out of my chattering teeth, the second hand on my plastic Timex would swoop five minutes past the bus’ scheduled stop.
Oh, great. The bus isn’t coming.
I’d get soaked from the waist down, choosing to shield my hair and face from the rain. Waiting gets long and very cold.
I’d turn into a statue, looking down the street with my neck craned, trying to will the bus to turn the corner. All I could do during those times was just look and wish it would come sooner than later.
Waiting For God
Sometimes, we wait for God this same way. He doesn’t seem to arrive on time. Things just aren’t resolving. Directions don’t seem clearer — and we’re not feeling any better about it.
So, we hunker down, and sit on the sidewalk. Waiting for God can feel more like a drawn out necessity. We’re stuck.
I’m learning this is not the way God sees waiting. He’s not the bus driver with blessings and solutions, somewhere far off, occupied with whatever else at the moment.
He is our Heavenly Father.
Our Father doesn’t want us to wait, twiddling our thumbs, stranded on the side with no other recourse. We know we can’t do anything else on our own. But, in waiting, what’s left to occupy?
The Blessing of Qavah
Abba has placed the key in His use of the word for wait: Qavah. The meaning of Qavah is comprised of two strands.
The first strand is familiar to us. The act of hoping and expecting. This is, however, just half of waiting.
The second strand in waiting transforms –
Qavah means to bind together.
Waiting is the clasp that entwines us to our Father’s care.
While we are waiting, He wants to weave His hands into ours.
I often picture myself waiting for God. Qavah has corrected my vision.
All this time, God as Father has been waiting with me.
How different my days would be if I believed this a little bit more every day?
… For one thing, I’d worry less that my way was hidden or forgotten and concentrate more on bonding with Him in my today.
… I’d gain a renewed energy to the dailiness of chores, knowing my Father is keeping me company, as He keeps my destination in sight.
Each day we wait, our Father is reaching to connect with us.
While others depend on the outcomes of goals and circumstances, you and I have a greater blessing.
The One who knows our purpose is a growing Vine, intertwining our hopes, sorrows, dreams, and disappointments — to His will and into His heart.
“Wait (Qavah) for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.”
Psalm 27:4
“The LORD is good to those who wait (Qavah) for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.”
Lamentations 3:25
What are your experiences with waiting?
How would Qavah change your outlook on today?
This post is Part 3 in the series, "What's So New With You?". Be sure to catch Part 1: A True New: A Soul Resuscitation Part 2: After Avatar: Passion's Threshold of Faith SUBSCRIBE NOW to get updates from FaithBarista hot and fresh directly in your mailbox via email (click here) or RSS (click here) news reader.
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honestly, I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for SOOOOOO many of His promises to me to be fulfilled. I hope He’s as ready as I am !!!
(ps. the bus: I never rode the bus when I was little, but in my adult life, its all I do! Waiting is the name of the game in Israel for busses. lol)
Oh, I can’t wait to hear you testify how good things come to those who wait!
God never forgets and He is going to blow your socks off when rewards you in your faith!
Thank you so much for sharing that! I am currently in a situation desperately waiting on God and your post was so refreshing! Such a new perspective! Thanks!!!
Praise God He is desperately there with you and I feel so happy I can be there with you in this moment, as you stand in the middle of your situation. He with you as you wait!
As I squirm and fidget restlessly…..these words start to soothe
“All this time, God as Father has been waiting with me. ”
what simple words……yet such a powerful, much-needed reminder. Thank you, Bonnie!
May your transparent and honest continue to encourage others as it has been for me.
Waiting is more like incubating, preparing – which isn’t flacid inaction. You said it well, giving much hope. Thx.
Incubating is a great word picture. You’re a writer who inspires. That’s obvious here!
A great analogy. Thanks Bonnie! I think you’re so right- we treat God as if He were hired to cart us around from place to place and get frustrated if we have to wait. He is the King, He is Creator, He is God, and (wonderfully, thankfully) He is Father.
There you go again. One short comment – and I just got convicted again.
“He is the King, He is Creator, He is God, and (wonderfully, thankfully) He is Father.” That last part makes the biggest difference to me.
You and Jason are really sticking it to me… this is a wonderful post, Bonnie.
I need to really take these words to heart…
I swear we didn’t coordinate it. Must be a God-thing! Judging from the comments, waiting is obviously a hot topic & something we all relate to.
I love this new interpretation of waiting, Qavah. It feels so much more comforting, so much less lonely. Thank you — your words today are binding me together more closely with God.
Thank you for stopping by, Michelle and sharing. Qavah has eased, comforted and brought me closer, too.
Qavah is new to me. The word. Not the experience. Your post has shed a much-needed light on my life today. Thanks for passing a bit of peace my way…
Oh, I want a heightened knowing of the experience, like you. The truth of Qavah brings such peace.
Wow! Love that analogy. Great post.
Thanks for stopping by Pete!
How many time have I given up and gone ahead without Him…ripping the strands that bind.
Oooh, I hadn’t even thought of that. Thanks for sharing.
Okay…I left a comment earlier. (Stupid iphone)
Like the great poet Tom Petty once said, “The waiting is the hardest part, Every day you see one more card, You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, but the waiting is the hardest part.”
Having said that, sometimes God can show you some amazing things while you’re waiting with and abiding in Him. It’s the abiding part — always abiding in Him. Easier said than done for sure.
I love that Tom Petty quote. So good. Got me goin’ to YouTube to hear it.
Yes, abiding is the word – and Qavah has helped invite me there sooner. And I hope to say in it longer.
Maybe you can write a post on this Kathy. Would love to read your thoughts on it.
Wow. What revelation. Thank you for sharing this, Bonnie!
I know that I had a long period of waiting in my life where it seemed like one long day lasted for 5 years.
I tease now that God has shaved those years off my life, so I’m 5 years younger or something. But, yeah,
I remember going into that time, throwing a fit for having to wait. It seemed SO hard to do! But, but, but…
He grew me. I learned patience. And, I learned to delight in Him. Today, when I look back, what I was waiting for, well, it never did get resolved. It didn’t end the way I wanted or the way I had expected. Actually, I’m not sure there ever was an “end” to it. But, eventually, God moved me along, and I learned that His idea of waiting included learning how to embrace His presence. Looking back, I am so thankful for the lesson I learned in waiting upon Him. Through that season He taught me how to pray, how to spend time with Him.
“what I was waiting for, well, it never did get resolved… Actually, I’m not sure there ever was an “end” to it. .. I learned that His idea of waiting included learning how to embrace His presence.”
It’s definitely an amazing experience to be taken where we don’t want to go — and then finding His love and presence in spite of everything. Embracing His presence. That is a wonderful picture.
Wow, awesome analogy. I was very familiar with the school bus all my school years. The worst was coming home and that 20 minute drive turned into 2 hours. Thanks Bonnie!
Oh, yeah! You’ve proved you ain’t fibbing since you KNOW what it’s like when the afternoon’s lost to waiting for and on the bus!
Oh Bonnie,
This is a blessing to me this morning! The nugget of truth, the key contained in the word Qavah is so powerful–I had not studied this before, so thank you for bringing it to my attention!
You’re welcome, Shaunie! Hope all is well with your new year!
Amazing!!! A new perspective can make or break us at times. Thank you for sharing this with us. Be Blessed! Angie in GA
Hey, Angie in GA!
.. You’re welcome & happy new year!
God has been teaching me about intimacy with Him and what that might look like in daily life, while I wait.
It feels like I have been waiting a long time. A very long time.
It feels like I might be waiting the rest of my life. Is there an end to this? Yes, your word study points to it.
The end is His presence. His arms. His fellowship. It is knowing, just as I have been known. This is true, regardless of the outcome of my circumstances.
It’s beautiful to hear God speaking to all of us, in all our difficulties in waiting.
“The end is His presence. His arms. His fellowship. It is knowing, just as I have been known.”
The trip there is sometimes long and winding.. we are human. But, God gives us a destination in the waiting, Himself. I love how you said it here. Thank you.
WOW to both you, Bonnie, and Cassandra! Ihave gone through the waiting and never once thought He waited with me. I knew He was WITH me, but WAITING as well, what a comfort!
And then: The end is His presence. His arms. His fellowship. It is knowing, just as I have been known. This is true, regardless of the outcome of my circumstances. What truth! Thank you, both!
Yes, I felt the same encouragement reading Cassandra’s comment. I love yours as well, because I felt the same way. And now, we are changed because does wait as well. It is a comfort I draw on many times in throughout the day.
Wow Bonnie, that was sooo good! Your words always bless me.
Likewise. Likewise. Wonderful to share comradery here in the words and in the journey.
Beautiful, Bonnie, I love your heart and perspective…and how God uses you to change ours!
Thanks for your sweet words – it touches me to know what’s on my heart has connected with yours.
I just love your interpretation of God’s time. He truly is with us as we wait. I know because I experience it every day. Sometimes, I know, it feels more like the old hurry up and wait syndrome. The best part of the waiting is when you realize that what you are waiting for has come, big or small, and that the adventure has begun. To have the opportunity to experience the next steps of having God as your driver, protector and advisor is what it is all about. I love Proverbs 3: 3-6-
” Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ” Thanks Bonnie you are spot on!
Hi Kim, thanks for sharing the Proverbs 3:3-6 verse. It really adds to the post..
“The best part of the waiting is when you realize that what you are waiting for has come, big or small, and that the adventure has begun.”
Loved this encouragement. I hope God blesses you in the big *and* small adventures He has you on now.
waiting
being collected
bound together
God is waiting
gathering
Thank you for a wonderful poem, nAncY! I love the ending of “gathering” — it a growing action He is taking a part in our lives while we are in the waiting. If only I could see!
But, ahh.. there faith meets me.