Vision and timing

Sometimes it's hard for us to recognize that just because God gives us a vision it doesn't mean that it will quickly come to pass.  Abraham is a good example of this truth.  God had promised him that he would become the father of many nations if he faithfully followed God's leading.  Twenty years later, long after Abraham didn't think it was possible for him to father a child, God's promise was finally realized and Abraham and his wife became parents.  If you remember the story you will recall that there came a time when Abraham decided to help God out a little bit and father a child through his wife's servant.  That decision led to disasterous results as it always does when we try to help God out a little.  I do not say that to condemn Abraham because quite frankly it would be hard for me to wait twenty years to see a promise of God fulfilled in my life.  In fact, there have been a few times when I've decided to help God out and tried to complete some endeavor I felt God had been calling me to do without waiting on Him.  Most of the times such efforts on my part have led to greater problems.  God's vision doesn't always mean right now is God's timing to bring that vision to fulfillment.

This morning I attended a church that was dedicating a new sanctuary.  They have been at their current location for five years.  They completed their fellowship hall first and began worshiping there while they raised the funds to complete the sanctuary.  This church encountered numerous obstacles and roadblocks from the time they first voted to relocate.  It seems the obstacles intensified during the five years they were waiting to complete their sanctuary.  There were times of frustration and confusion, but they kept moving forward until the sanctuary was finally completed this past November and dedicated today.

The church had a great time of celebration today as they met in a beautiful, new sanctuary.  It is an excellent facility that provides them plenty of room to grow.  I suppose they could have tried to help God a few years ago and built the building at the lowest possible cost.  They might have been able to move into a sanctuary sooner if they had done that, but it would not have been the quality of worship space they now have.  They waited upon God to act, and when He did He enabled them to build a wonderful place of worship with excellent seating, great sound and video systems, and a beautiful spirit.  I visited the facility a couple of times when there were not even studs up for the walls and told the church members then that I felt a sweet, strong sense of God's presence in that area.  That same spirit was evident today as well.

Most of us, including myself, are not comfortable waiting.  We prefer action to waiting, but sometimes God calls us to wait.  Yes, He might show us the vision of where He wants to take us, but then He calls on us to wait for His timing.  When we do we will find the results will be much better than if we had pushed on ourselves in an attempt to accomplish His will without His involvement.

I have no doubt this church learned some valuable lessons about waiting upon the Lord.  I also have no doubt that because they did they will see God begin to do some new things in and through them that they will find exciting in the months ahead.  I believe this church is poised to have a far greater impact on their community than they have ever known at any other time in their history.  Finally, I believe God wants to do the same thing in each of our lives if we will be willing to work within His time frame.