Sometimes I feel like a little kid. (Okay, more often than sometimes, because I get way too excited about little things like sunshine, an unexpected free hour, Sonic happy hour, sweet morning texts, and a chance to eat Mexican food, but hey, those are the things that life is all about, right??) But the times I'm talking about specifically are the ones in which you see a little kid finally get something they've been wanting for a long, long time, and it's WAY better than they ever thought it would be.
Today, I'm that kid. For so long, I've been told to wait. By family members, by friends, by coworkers, and mainly by God. I HATE waiting. Mainly because I'm terrible at it (but, admittedly, have gotten better at it over the years since I've done it so much), but also because, let's be honest, it is NO FUN. Well, it's no fun when you're doing it, but when you get the thing you've been waiting for, it is SO worth it.
Recently, God blew my expectations out of the water. I was the kid, patiently (for the most part) and expectantly waiting for a small, measly Chips A-Hoy cookie from the cookie jar on the counter. I wasn't quite tall enough to reach it and I would just stand there and beg for it, much like a pathetic puppy. What God started to teach me during this season of waiting was that instead of begging and being that kid that says "I'll do the dishes for a whole week and mop the floors if I can just have one cookie right now!", God wanted me to CHILL OUT. He wanted me to sit back, rest, and lay at the Master's feet in peace until the time was right. And oh, how I fought this. I would eagerly jump up and wag my tail and salivate every time God would make the slightest move, automatically assuming this was it, this was the time I was going to get my cookie. And every time I was dead wrong. What a disappointing feeling. You can just see the look on the puppy's face when his master walks right by the treat jar and into the laundry room or bedroom instead. (I obviously still can't decide if I'm the puppy or the kid at this point. But for the end of the analogy, let's say I'm the kid).
Then, the day comes. The small child that has been standing at the edge of the counter, with his chin and fingers on the edge of it so he is eye-level with the cookie jar, gets a surprise from a place that is not the cookie jar at all. Because in from the garage walks dad. The child turns around and takes his eyes off the cookie jar, not expecting this to be THE time. Dad is holding a big, red, thin box. He sits it down on the counter and opens the lid. The child stands on his tippy-toes in order to see over the edge of the box. And what does he see other than the biggest, most delicious looking, icing-topped, cookie cake? He takes in a sharp breath, takes a step back, covers his mouth and looks up at his father with wide-eyed amazement and unbelief...points to his chest and whispers, "For ME?", while still half-expecting dad to say, "Not yet," or "No," or, "Just wait."
Then, the dad simply places his hand on the top of the child's head, smiles, and nods. "Yes, my child. This is for you. I told you the wait would be worth it." And then, in complete and utter delight, watches his child dig in and savor the most unexpected and wonderful fulfillment of a promise he's ever experienced.
Isn't our God so good? He longs to bless us, and He does, and we must only wait and be faithful in the little things. And then, when he blesses us, it's hard to tell who is more delighted, for our God loves to see us enjoy the blessings he has prepared for us.
"Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are those who long for Him." -Isaiah 30:18
