Points from the Pastor's Pen

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, who was himself waiting for the Kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body” Mark 15:43

        “Waiting”! Did you notice what Mark points out to us? Joseph of Arimathea was waiting for the Kingdom to come. The Old Testament scriptures had promised God’s Kingdom would come and Joseph of Arimathea was waiting. I think I have probably spent over half of my life waiting. Waiting for a birthday, waiting for Christmas, waiting to graduate, waiting to see my doctor, waiting to get married, waiting for my sons to be born, waiting in lines, waiting for the phone to ring.

        The Bible is full of people who waited for God. Abraham waited 25 years for a son. Joseph waited 13 years for his dreams to come true. Simeon and Anna waited a long time to see the Christ child (Luke 2).

        It is never easy to wait, yet in the waiting God is often teaching and training us in His ways. Biblical waiting is a spiritual discipline, God desires for us to learn and practice. Isaiah 40 teaches us “those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Biblical waiting is not passive, but active. Abraham, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna all continued to live out their faith and seek God while they waited.

        We must be careful as we wait that we do not get impatient and try to move ahead of God or lose hope and stop seeking God.

        The scripture is quite clear, God is never late and God is never early in bringing His purpose to fulfillment.

So how will we wait? What are the things we are waiting for? Will we wait like the people in the Bible with hope and anticipation?

        In our remembering that Christ-followers have always waited on God, may we be encouraged and challenged to continue waiting with hope and anticipation for supernatural actions of God that will in His time come to pass.

Your Pastor and friend,

Joel Kallberg

.