Oh, you must read Orberg's books! He is a brilliant writer, really. His books are divinely profound and yet so easy to digest... partially because he is rather gifted to mix humour into his writes which helps readers to see things through unusual perspectives as they smile and giggle. Ortberg's books also give me many "Ahaa!!!" moments and make light-bulbs light up above my head (if you can imagine them, that is).
Anyway, the book I'm reading is entitled: "If You Want To Walk on Water, You've Got To Get Out of The Boat".
As the title suggests, it is a book on faith and trusting God as one answers His call. A book on walking an unforgettable walk - i.e. walking on water (cf. Matthew 14:25-32). It deals with boat potatoes (as opposed to couch potatoes), discerning the call, getting out of the boat, fear, the right focus and etc. I am now slowly going through chapter 9 - "Learning to Wait". It's somehow one of those chapters which I know I should not speed-read... because I struggle to wait. (I speed-read sometimes because I cannot wait to know what happens at the end of the chapter...and ultimately the book!)
Was really blessed and comforted when I came across Ortberg's quote of Lewis Smedes' [For background reading, see John Ortberg, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2001), p.176]:
"Waiting is our destiny as creatures,
who cannot by themselves bring about what they hope for.
We wait in the darkness for a flame we cannot light.
We wait in fear for a happy ending we cannot write.
We wait for a not yet that feels like a not ever.
Waiting is the hardest work of hope."
Wow! I am reminded that whilst joy is experienced when a goal or destination is reached... or when an eagerly awaited reward is received ~~ hope, which is the essence of living and not giving up on life, can only exist in the context of waiting. But the trickiest part of possessing hope while waiting... is learning to let go and trust God. It is no wonder that Lewis Smedes concluded that waiting is the hardest work of hope. Patience must be then the bittersweet fruit of the Holy Spirit that buds and ripens when one leans on God and trusts whilst he/she waits, even if with a limp.
I pray that my waiting will be fruitful. I desire to wait with joy, faith and great expectations... Great expectations, not because I expect God to answer prayers my way or fit His plans into my puny ones ~ but because I know He will do exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ever ask or imagine... and in a way, it is right to expect that He would because the Bible says so. It is God's very own promise.
At this very moment, I am waiting... to see the doctor in the morning. :)
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