The Long Wait Is Over

When I was a young maths teacher, we did lots of practical activities… One of the regular April 1^st ‘tricks’ was: ‘Johnny, we’re doing some weighing and measuring this morning. Please ask Mr Oldfield if he’d give you a long weight.’

Mr Oldfield would be busy teaching his class… Eventually Johnny would return to me empty handed – but he’d had a long wait.

Last week Granddaughter-Hannah passed her driving test. After hours of lessons, L-plates, and anxiety the long wait’s over… Soon the long wait for her A-level results – and a decision about university and her future – will be over.

Lou started as our new minister/pastor last week. We invited her to come last November, so it’s been a long wait… Yesterday was her first Sunday ‘in post’. She smiled; the church-family smiled and applauded. The long wait’s over.

Lou preached… Israel had been in exile in Babylon for many years. God promised that they would return to Jerusalem; their long wait would be over. Their exciting future would be much better than their past!

Yesterday’s ‘Songs of Praise’ was from London’s St Bartholomew’s Hospital. It featured Hogarth’s picture ‘The Pool of Bethesda’ that’s displayed up one of the hospital staircases. One of the doctors described Jesus as an A&E consultant…

The picture depicts the crippled man who Jesus healed – the man had been sick, beside the pool, for many years… another long wait over.

This morning I read about the angel telling Mary that she would have a baby. Israel’s long wait for their Messiah would be over. The following nine months must have been a long wait for Mary…

(…just about the same length of time we’ve been waiting ‘expectantly’ for Lou!!)

Musing… Johnny, Mr Oldfield, Hannah, Lou, Israel, Mary, lame man, Jesus… a long wait involves…

Hope… I look forward to my future with anticipation.

Humility… There’s so much of my future I cannot control.

Happiness… My faith reassures me that the final outcome will be good!