No Matter How Long It Takes

Time can be a fickle thing.

It can be our worst enemy or our best friend. The determination between which of those it is at the moment can be based on a few factors. Our circumstances, our attitude and so on. Often we find ourselves wishing we had more of it or that it would simply slow down. But we all know the reality is we aren't going to add days into the week nor can we increase the hours of our day. And I only read one time in the Bible where God just stopped time.

Joshua 10:13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on[b] its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

I think that what I am trying to get at today is that we don't get to control how much time we have but how we use it and that God doesn't always operate on our time schedule because He sees more than we ever could.

It's easy to get frustrated with how things seem to be going, the length of time it takes for situations to come together or work out but that is because our view of things is so limited. I suppose that the heart of what I want to say today is that we need to allow God to be God and to move according to His will, plan and purpose in His time...no matter how long it takes.

A few months ago I heard a song from Cross Point Church in Tennessee that just really challenged me in this area. It makes me pause and ask myself how badly I want to see God move in my life, my family, my ministry, my church, my community, THE WORLD, and am I willing to put in the spiritual grunt work of prayer - warfare - to see Him move, no matter how long it takes?

The lyrics to the song are quite beautiful and humbling.

With empty hands and open hearts We surrender as we are Unafraid and unashamed Trusting only in Your name

Pre Chorus

Jesus take Your time here So Jesus have Your way

Chorus

No matter how long it takes We will pray we will pray No matter how long it takes We will wait we will wait No matter how long it takes We will praise we will praise You We wanna see You move We wanna see You move

And that's just the first half of the song! Look at Psalm 27 with me for a moment, I am going to share The Passion Translation because...well, you'll see...

13 Yet I totally trust you to rescue me one more time, so that I can see once again how good you are while I’m still alive! 14 Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord.[a] Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!

In the words of my dad, if that doesn't light your fire your wood's wet!

I guess I just want to encourage us all today to not give up and to press in, more and more, deeper and deeper, into our Father's heart. Relentlessly pursue Him and all He has for us!

In ways that we can't explain In ways that leave us amazed When all we can do is praise We wanna see You move that way

No Matter How Long It Takes.