Hurry Up and Wait

A boy named Jim shot me in the leg with a BB gun when I was ten.

I dared him to do it – not to shoot me  – but to try and shoot my bike tires as I rode by him really fast. We had nothing better to do on a fine, long summer day. And besides Jim had bragged about what a great shot he was and I just had to prove him wrong. And I did prove him wrong, too, but I didn’t expect to get shot in the process.

The BB left a huge red whelp on my thigh and the event made a big impression on my mind. (If nothing else I learned to never trust boys named Jim who carry guns nor to take chances that could put my eye out.)

It is days like today that I think about that experience. Days when I don’t have anything to do except wait for the next chapter of my life to begin. I’m dying to ride fast into whatever it is and dare God to stop me. But I think that’s not good, it’s not right, it’s not safe. Is it?

Let me make one thing clear: I trust God totally – to guide, protect, bless, and love me. But this interminable waiting for the next step on His movable call on my life is AGONY! I know. I’ve heard. God wants to hit moving targets but I don’t think that foolhardiness or daredevil feats just because I’m bored counts as the same thing. Does it?

A few days ago, I was reading from the incredibly simple but profound daily devotional book entitled Jesus Calling. On June 1, one of the scriptures for the day was Isaiah 41:13 –

“For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.”

I’ve read these words many times and taken comfort in them. But I’ve never noticed the words “who takes hold of your right hand”. And why not? Why haven’t I seen that before? And why did the prophet specify the right hand?

Though we have several lefties in our family, I am totally right-handed. I eat, open doors, pick up things, and write right-handed. I only use my left hand when I applaud, and to….nope, that’s it.

Isaiah probably had a deeply theological reason for specifying the right hand held by God. Biblically, I think sitting at someone’s right hand, including next to God Himself, is a place of importance and honor. But it comes to my mind right now because maybe I need to let go of everything that I do, everything I have, especially everything I want. Maybe I need to reach out an empty hand…and just wait…and let Him take hold. You think?

Dare me to do it?