Revelation 6:11
White robes were given to each of
them, and they were told to rest a little longer until their other
brothers, fellow servants of Jesus, had been martyred on the earth and
joined them.
The Living
Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All
rights reserved.
When
my sister, brother and I were little, I remember having to lie down to
rest on summer afternoons while our “kiddie pool” filled with water…and
said water warmed a bit. Sometimes we napped, but often, we tossed and
turned and waited until our parents allowed us to get up and go outside
to play in the water. If you have spent any time with a toddler or young
child, you know how hard it can be to persuade him/her to rest for a
while and/or wait on an upcoming event…like a swim at the pool, a play
date, or maybe a treat of some sort. In the words of the evil magician
in the movie, “Frosty the Snowman” - who wanted his “magic” hat back -
“I want it [that hat]…and I want it NOW!”
We are impatient
people. And the wonderful thing is that God understands that! Even
the martyrs of the Bible who were killed for preaching the Good News
about Jesus were told in John’s Revelation dream…”rest a little longer
until more martyrs join you!” Hopefully whatever we are waiting for
does not involve the peril of others. But often, God calls on us to
wait for something. And in this waiting, He calls upon us to rest – to
chill out, relax, be patient, and to be content where we are in this
moment.
This is really a big order for a lot of us. We want
everything to be resolved right away. We don’t want to feel better in a
few days…we want to be well NOW! We can’t wait for “Mr. or Miss
Right”…we have to have a companion this week! We have asked God to
answer our prayers…and we meant TODAY…not some nebulous date in the
future that He chooses! And all the while, God often gently listens to
us and whispers, “There, there…rest just a little while longer!”
Where
is God calling you to rest a little longer today? Where do you need to
trust His timing more and demand less? Are there areas of your life in
which you have failed to exercise patience? How content are you this
day with how God is orchestrating your circumstances? How sure are you
of God’s presence and timing?
If the martyrs who suffered and
died to share the Gospel of Jesus can wait…don’t you think we can hang
on a little longer, too? Let’s “put on a white robe” and rest in God’s
love and care. His answers will come…the time of rest will end. You
will have plenty of time to “dip in the pool” of God’s promises and the
good things He holds in store for you!
©2014 Debbie Robus
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