Long overdue

Back when this whole journey began, there was a sense that this might not be a quick process.  That's easy to think when everything is still new and shiny.  But it gets a little harder as the days months years march on.  What I have noticed, though, is that very often just when I start to slip into complacency and thinking that maybe the plan has changed, her name will come up.  Sometimes one of you sends a message to let me know that you are praying.  Sometimes one of my children will ask about her.  Other times I will find her name or one of the meaningful verses from those early days in an unexpected place.

These past couple weeks for one of my seminary classes we have been reading about the patriarchs.  The story of Abraham and Sarah always is a reminder to me that God's timing doesn't always fit with the way we expect God to work.  Abram is 75 when God first makes the promise of offspring and blessing the nations through him.  Some time later, after living in Egypt to escape the famine, God again reiterates the promise of offspring and land.  In Genesis 15, we read of Abram asking God how this promise is to be fulfilled, since he still has no children.  Given the events that have happened, this is likely years after the initial promise.  Genesis 16 describes how after ten years of living in Canaan, still with no child of his own, Abram agrees to Sarai's suggestion to sleep with her servant Hagar and have a child in that way.  The years had marched on, and they decided to help God out, possibly even thinking that they were doing what they needed to do to fulfill the promise.

When I start to wonder if there is more that I should be doing, this story often comes to mind.  Has God given any indication that we are to step forward in any specific direction?  No.  Are we open to doing so when that time comes?  Yes.  Are we striving to remain close to God while we wait?  Yes - key word there is striving.  Some days are better than others, but we try to pull each other back on track if we begin slipping.  So until word comes that it is time to step forward, we wait.  In faith, we wait.
Joyfully awaiting Abigail.