“…by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.” Galatians 5:5
Avoiding traffic and red lights is a passion of mine… I hate them both! It more closely resembles an obsession, because no matter how short the trip, I can never stop trying to scoot around those 2 momentum busters. I’ll even take a longer route, just to avoid stopping or sitting still. It drives Katie nuts. And based upon today’s Bible verse, and others like it, I’m sure I drive Jesus nuts as well.
Yesterday, I was at a gas station with only 1 traffic light between me and home. But the light was red! Not wanting to wait, I took a different road that had NO red lights. The only POSSIBLE obstacle could be major southbound traffic that ‘might’ slow my crossing the main highway. But stopping (not my thing) made sitting at the red light unacceptable. So turning up the radio on a Jesus song… I moved.
The road I chose was long enough that I couldn’t see to it’s end. As I drove, I came up on a truck that was moving at least 10 MPH UNDER the speed limit. I was unhappy. Unable to pass him, we drove until, on the horizon, I spotted a school bus approaching. It seemed that the obstacle presented itself to my brain at the same time the yellow, then red lights, of the bus did. It stopped to let kids off!
I’d chosen wrong! Had I taken the red light, I would have been home before the 4th of 15 kids exited the bus. But there I was… stopped. Waiting! I was eager to move on! Maybe too eager! Because Jesus must have sensed my frustration, and chose to join me in the cab of my truck. Trapped, the only thing I could do was close my eyes, rest my head on the steering wheel, and listen to Him.
This morning, as my eyes traveled onto the page of my Bible, this verse, laying yet unmarked, jumped out at me. I sensed the Spirit gently prodding me to do the math, like a kindergarten teacher to a pupil… “2+2 = ??? C’mon K.C., you can do it!” And I did! What I am meant for is not yet. The price He paid for my righteousness has been credited, but it has yet to be received. It is COMING! AHHH!
As I sit in the messed up, war torn, crazy, evil world, it appears I must choose HOW I will wait for what will be in the future. Jesus WANTS me to be eager… but not anxious! There is nothing wrong with hating the stops and congestion in my life, but my focus is to EAGERLY LOOK FORWARD, by His Spirit’s help, to a righteousness that has my name written all over it. Lesson learned… for now!
How eagerly are YOU waiting?
