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Readings: 1 Samuel 16 + Psalm 142
We all go through periods of waiting. It’s inevitable. But how we wait can make a big difference.
Often, I think of periods of waiting in my life like a doctor’s office waiting room. I sign in, pick up a magazine, and wait to hear my name called.
There’s nothing for me to do unless I’ve waited 15 minutes past my appointment time.
Waiting at a doctor’s office is passive. Someone else is in charge. I’m just here.
Then there’s coffee shop waiting. If I’m meeting someone for coffee, I might be looking at my phone or reading a book. But every time the bell over the door tings, I look up.
Even if I’m doing something else, my attention is half on the door. I’m waiting for my friend to show up. I’m on the lookout. To a passerby, it’s likely pretty clear I’m expecting someone.
Coffee shop waiting is participatory. We want to be ready to greet our friends when they arrive. There’s a level of comfort as you sit and watch.
What if, instead of doctor’s office waiting, God is calling us to coffee shop waiting? Could God be calling you to participate in some way, making the most of your time in the in-between?
I doubt any of us are the exact person we want to be. Or, quite frankly, the person God wants us to be.
Sure, we might have habits or tendencies that give a nod to our better selves, but we’re not fully formed into who we’re supposed to be. We’re in the process of becoming.
We’re still waiting to see who we will be.
But waiting to see who we will become isn’t stagnant. Likely, most of us are reading a book, taking a class, watching a show, or learning a new skill – doing something to better ourselves.
We are actively pursuing the person we want to become.
In the same way, David wasn’t ready to be king when he was appointed. It took 15 years before he would become Israel’s leader.
David is identified as the future king after Saul disobeys God’s instructions (1 Sam 15). God rejects Saul as Israel’s king and sends the prophet Samuel on a mission to find Saul’s successor.
Initially, Samuel didn’t choose David based on what might be considered typical criteria for a leader. God wasn’t concerned with David’s appearance or stature. Instead, God chose David for his character (1 Sam 16:7).
But good character still didn’t make David ready to be king.
There wasn’t anything David could have done to earn his new title, but he made the most in the 15 years before he officially took over the throne.
David sought the Lord and made choices based on God’s response (22:3; 23:1-6; 23:9-12). He gained experience as a military officer. He learns and practices compassion for Saul, despite Saul’s multiple attempts at murdering David.
God is using situations and time to continue to grow and develop David’s character even more. David learns to rely on the Lord, and God knew David could become the leader Israel would need.
Thankfully, David was a coffee shop waiter (just read the Psalms). His head was up, attentive to the stirring of the Lord. He was expectant, knowing that God would send him in the direction he should go.
God doesn’t want seasons of waiting to be unproductive seasons.
The Lord was looking for a willing servant, and he found one in David. In the same way the Spirit of God is present with David (1 Sam 16:13), we can trust the Spirit is with us too.
Maybe we’re not ready for our next task, either. Perhaps God is using this time of waiting to give you experience, teach you a new skill, or show you a different point of view.
But we can wait expectantly, knowing God is still at work in us.
Journal Prompt: In times of waiting, are you in a doctor’s office or a coffee shop? How are you seeking God in times of waiting?
