Active waiting

I don't often write about "the work" here in Vienna. Mainly because I don't often feel like I'm involved with a work at this moment. A while back, I wrote about how this is a new work, not a work-in-progress, and how we're building a foundation and taking time to learn the language and culture. Many people -- missionaries, former missionaries, elders -- have confirmed what we're doing. We've been encouraged to remain focused on our task of learning German and sticking with our plan of engaging the culture. But it's hard. It's hard to wait. Because waiting often feels like inaction.

I recently signed up for a weekly Bible study for women involved in missions and I received my first weekly study guide this past Wednesday. It's on Nehemiah. The study points out that once Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem, he waited three days before inspecting the wall and proposing the idea to repair the wall (2:11,12). Why, the study asks, does Nehemiah wait three days before taking action? Generally speaking, I don't like this kind of question because someone is trying to make a point by making an assumption -- often a big assumption. Nevertheless, the point is sometimes valid. The study suggests that Nehemiah waited three days because he was waiting before the Lord for guidance. It goes on to ask in what ways do I find it hard to wait, especially when I think I know what I need to be doing.

That's when it hit me -- I think I know what I need to be doing. I need to be doing something. Something measurable. Something so that at the end of the day or the week or even the month I can say, "This is what I've done." It is hard for me to wait. But waiting doesn't have to mean inaction. What I should be doing right now is praying. Not just that God will soften the heart of the people of Vienna so that they are open to his message (as I have been praying), but that God will put people in my life who are seeking Him. And that God will guide me to people who themselves are asking God to bring someone into their lives. I ask you to join with me in this prayer -- not just for me and the people in Vienna, but also for yourself and the people in your community. I'm excited to see what happens while we're waiting...

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The past couple of days I have read two blogs that have stirred a lot of these thoughts. They're both amazing stories about how God works to bring together the people who are searching for Him and the ones seeking to do His will. I encourage you to take a look.

Graham Kervin - http://grahamkervin.net/?p=140
Stephen Meeks - http://stephenmeeks.blogspot.com/2007/10/seeing-darfur-day-6.html