Waiting. Something I am incredibly not good at.
As an extrovert, folks like me are not good at waiting. We are doers, solvers - tend to be fixers who are arriving and leaving as soon as things that need doing get done. Moving on. Often quickly. Reflection and contemplation are not us.
And so, this week has been a struggle. I have been waiting and waiting for word about our vehicle. Would it be fixed or would it be written off? I want to know and I want to know now. Nearly a week after our vehicle was picked up, I finally called our adjuster. And the answer I got was, "Wait". Not something I wanted to hear.
Wisdom was imparted. I was told the evaluation steps that were needed to come to a determination. And the adjuster promised to send me the initial repair estimate. That way, I can compare it with what I figure the vehicle is roughly worth right now. Growing up in one of the Big 3 towns (the others were Oakville and Windsor), I learned early how the system worked. Unless you were test driving the vehicle, the moment that the tires crossed the sidewalk and hit the street, the vehicle lost value. And continued to do so. Until it was worth only a shadowy fraction of the price you bought it for. This expense has been refused by many - too expensive when you factor in licensing, insurance and maintenance. With more people being urbanized, many either cannot afford to have a car now or choose not to. The rise of ride-sharing and Uber, Lyft and other companies has also bitten into the ownership market. Back to waiting.
Notice that God and Jesus have the opposite view of waiting. The benefits are huge. There are over 100 times that "wait" and "waiting" are mentioned in the bible. Three of the many examples I have continually found instructive.
Isaiah 40 tells of the benefits of waiting for the Lord. Renewal is always something I ask for. Luke 12 is also quite instructive from Jesus. And as I read and re-read James 5, I am both pushed and delighted by what waiting upon others can bring. Now, Lent is a season of waiting. How are you doing with it? For me, it is always challenging. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have much to teach us about the rhythms of life. Pr. Scott
