The Waiting Place

2020 has taught us all to wait--or at least given us plenty of opportunity to do some learning about it.

If you add those two 20's together you get 40, a symbol in scripture for waiting. Psalm 40 says, "I waited patiently for the Lord/He inclined and heard my cry." Isaiah 40 says, "Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength." The Israelites waited 40 years in the desert. Jesus waited 40 days at the beginning of his public life.

In seasons of waiting we face one of two primary temptations:  flight or fight. Here are a few lines I wrote about that...


The Waiting Place

A stoic gives a shrug and says, “What will be will be.”
With stiff upper lip his steely-eyed pose 
Stares long but cannot see.

A karmic raises a fist and says, “It is up to me.”
With a call to arms his pose of faith 
Trusts in only he. 

“Give us daily bread,” says faith while opening up its hand:
Neither turning down expectation 
Nor tightening 'round a demand.

Praying hands do not concede or fight a battle to be won:
One pleads, “let this cup pass from me,” 
And the other, “thy will be done.”

– THF, 2020