I waited outside on our aging dog Lucy as she stood in place on the driveway and sniffed the wind. She is in her last days and struggles to walk far, but she still loves to catch the scent of a squirrel or a deer passing by. I came inside, fed Lucy, and got her settled.
Jerry is recovering from a virus. It’s taking a minute for him to feel better and get back to his usual routine. So, I often find myself waiting for him to decide what he might need or seeing if there’s something else that should be done.
“They
also serve who only stand and wait.” Those words drifted into my brain from
somewhere during one of my waiting times.
Where
did they come from?
Well,
when I looked them up, I remembered when I saw the answer that they come from seventeenth
century poet John Milton. The phrase is from a sonnet he wrote when facing
blindness and wondering whether he could continue his writing in the name of
the Lord.
When
we are waiting and seeming to be in a holding pattern, we may think we are not
doing anything of value. The to do lists in our brains can grow long. But we
are serving—just in a different way. Yes, there are seasons when we are out
there going and serving in a visible way. But there are also seasons when we
are simply waiting … being … but still serving.
Only
a little more than a year ago, I was the one upon whom folks were waiting. It
was a hard place for me to be. I remember that when I’m simply standing by and
am grateful that I can wait … that I can serve.
So,
if you’re also in a season of waiting, remember you are also serving, and God
is pleased.
"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14)