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Refreshment in Refuge

    by Gina Burgess

Waiting Waiting...
Date Posted: June 2, 2019

In today's world, 30 seconds seems an eternity, and to wait two minutes for a cup of coffee seems so long. I remember when we had to wait 30 minutes for a cup of fresh brewed coffee to perculate, and it didn't seem all that long to wait.

There is a wonderful poem by Russell Kelfer called Wait. Look it up, it speaks to the heart of why God has His children wait for blessings that He always intended to give.

Take Hannah, for instance. This woman waited and waited for a child of her own. She sat by the window and listened to the children of her husband's second wife play. She watched her husband's face light up when his children came to him. It must have torn her heart to shreds to want something so badly and never have it except vicariously through the second wife.

The day she had enough, she rose up and prayed and dedicated her unborn baby to the Lord God Almighty.

What if she had immediately had a son right after getting married? And four years later, God commanded her to bring him to the Temple to serve Himself?

What if Hannah had not waited all those years? Had not waited in despair? Had not thought she would never have a child? Would she have given her son into the Lord's care admist the wicked sons of Eli? I have a strong feeling resentment would have risen in her breast, and instead of praying for her son, she would have prayed for the Lord not to take him away.

That wasn't God's plan.

God's way was much kinder.

He allowed the longing in her breast to overpower the loss. He caused her focus on this world to transfer to higher purpose in His will. There is no greater blessing than being smack in the middle of God's perfect will.

Elkanah's giving her a double portion was a shadow of God's double blessing. Hannah not only bore a son, her son became the most influential man in Israel for decades, and he ordained/annointed two kings of Israel. God trusted Hannah to do what she promised she would do. There is a mighty blessing in God's trust.

How can we not trust Him in our hours of waiting? His perfect will is the absolute best of the best for any one of His children. There we are happiest.

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Biography Information:

Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.

She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.

If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon

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