Then they will call to Me but I will not answer; they will look for Me but will not find Me. Since they…did not choose to fear the Lord…they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. Proverbs 1:28-29, 31.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in Your name all day long; they exult in Your righteousness. Psalm 89:15-16.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NKJV.

This morning in our Zoom retreat we talked about the Spiritual discipline of waiting…”To patiently trust in God’s goodness and timing in the events and relationships in our life”. Whether we want to wait or not, waiting is a very real experience and how we wait matters. The first Scripture cited above sounds harsh but it’s so true for a world that rushes forward without any thought for what God thinks. But as the world speeds forward into uncertainty, it’s good to “step into God’s view of time” – as our group read is one of the fruits of waiting. As some of us were talking before the Zoom meeting started, when we see the planet as seen by those who orbit the earth, there are no visible boundaries separating people. Perspective.

I thought about that as I read our chapter, Galatians 1. The introduction said it was written by Paul between AD 55 and 60, to the churches in Galatia, a district in Asia Minor, the exact boundaries of which are uncertain. Man-made boundaries then so crucial yet lost to time. Imagine the waiting then as the message of the Gospel of God is being formed and taking root. Boundaries were being changed they couldn’t foresee without God’s help. Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen. I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former manner in life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith, which he once tried to destroy.” And they were glorifying God because of me.

When Jesus the Son was crucified, His followers must have wondered why. What was begun that was so impactful for them was no more. How do you go back to what was before once you have seen the Son of God with you? You can’t. They were never meant to go back. They were meant to go forward with the Son with them again raised to Life from the Father. The First of the first-fruits. And the Holy Spirit was given. And still it takes time. For three years Paul was taught of Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. And then he met with Peter and then the Lord’s brother, James the apostle. And it became clear as never before that God’s truth was for all men and women – Jew and Gentile. And still it took time – the span of all the time of mankind to that point and until Jesus the Son returns. We’re still waiting for that blessed event and still it takes time. Waiting, mindful that Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, is still working. Paul is reminding the churches and us that we can’t go back to what was not Life. We go forward with Creator God. We are still in this most remarkable story. Revelation shows us it continues until all is brought to completion in God the Father to Whom be the glory forevermore…Amen! That was the message Jesus brought. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes – will in Him – have eternal life. John 3:14-15. He gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. That’s a lot to learn and understand; and we understand as we go forward with Creator God. And the Spiritual aspect of waiting is that we wait not just for Jesus’ return, but as we live this life we are given, we trust God who gave it and trust His timing and His goodness. That also takes time that is well spent with Him. Paul is asking us not to desert this beautiful Gospel of the grace of Christ but to go forward with Him trusting Him for all that is needed.