Casandra Martin

“Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.” – Luke 8:40

Waiting is not on anybody’s top ten list of fun things to do. We live in a go-go-go society that views waiting as unproductive. We tend to see waiting as a waste and feel guilty in the moments when we are not in the middle of a whirlwind of activity. We worry about not doing enough, going faster, or filling our time with enough stuff. We have bought into the world’s idea that busier means more valuable.

Time is a precious commodity, perhaps even our most valuable resource. That is why investing it in waiting for Jesus is such a powerful thing to do. Waiting prepares our hearts for His presence. It adjusts our vision, realigns our perspective, and focuses our priorities. Think about what the crowd in Luke 8 had to do (or not do) in order to commit themselves to waiting for Jesus.  Waiting for Jesus was so important to them that they let the everyday cares of the world take a backseat in order to have the opportunity to meet Jesus in the moment.

Waiting involves anticipation, preparation, and sacrifice.  It changes our eyes as we lift them from the cares of the world, anticipating His presence. It softens our hearts as we prepare to praise Him, thank Him, and bow before Him. Waiting loosens our ties to this world as we sacrifice what is physically urgent for what is spiritually important.

My Jesus Resolution today is to wait for Jesus. Think of the joy and excitement that erupted among the crowd in Luke 8 as eyes searched the horizon, fingers pointed to His silhouette, and voices echoed with the news that He was here. What joy do I give up because I am too busy, too proud, or too unaware to wait for Him? Today I am going to set my eyes and my heart to waiting even as I move through all the tasks of the day. Somewhere along the way I am going to meet Jesus. I want to be ready to welcome Him.