Good day! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM blog. Once again my name is Dave Good and it is my honor to spend the next few minutes with you. I hope my words are encouraging to you and move you closer to God
Today I would like to talk about the waiting game. No I’m not talking about waiting in the car while your wife is just running in for a few things. I want to talk about the “I can’t wait!” game. I think we all have said to ourselves, “I can’t wait for Christmas!”, “I can’t wait for my birthday!”, “I can’t wait to graduate!”, “I can’t wait to get married”, “I can’t wait to grow up!”, the list could go on and on. The “I can’t wait” statement is a phrase filled with excitement, expectancy, and hope. I would love for you to take a few minutes and ponder some of the things you have said it about in the past.
As I’m sitting here pondering about some other “I can’t wait!” statements that I’ve said, my thoughts began turn toward Jesus. When I look at the life of our Savior I try to imagine some of the phrases he would have used. Could He have said, “I can’t wait to be baptized!”, “I can’t wait to preach in my Father’s temple!”, “I can’t wait to select my disciples!”, “I can’t wait to heal the sick and give sight to the blind!” I can imagine Jesus saying that entire list and much more.
Despite all those positive and joyful intentions, I wonder if Jesus would have even dared to think about the ominous I can’t wait phrases. I’m referring to thoughts of “I can’t wait to spend 40 days and 40 nights in the desert being tempted by Satan”, “I can’t wait to be betrayed by my own disciple, Judas.”, or how about “I can’t wait to be beaten, scourged, and sentenced to death on a cross by Pontius Pilate.” Finally there was “I can’t wait to be hung on the cross, suffocating and bleeding to death for the world’s sins.”
After reading the list I just created I can’t help but try to wrap my head around the adversity and anguish Jesus had to endure for our sins. We put him on that cross. We sentenced him to death. Why in the world would he do that for sinners like us? The answer is actually quite simple. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NIV)
The “I can’t wait!” statements that Jesus must have said were based on the joy and hopes that came out of his suffering. Jesus knew that “I can’t wait to die on the cross” was only the prelude to “I can’t wait to rise on the third day!” Jesus knew the end of his suffering from the beginning. He knew his suffering and death would save his people from the consequences of their sins and give them eternal life, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 6:23 NIV) Jesus endured all so we could spent eternity with Him. It was all worth it to Him.
Friends , I’ve said quite a few “I can’t wait!” statements in my life. Most of them were ushering in a new phase of life. Jesus did the same thing. His “I can’t wait!” statements ushered in eternal life for all those who believe. He wasn’t just thinking about the next few months or even the next few years, he had forever on His mind. Next time you think about your “I can’t waits!” keep your focus on a much larger outlook and you would be amazed how your perspective will change.
I hope my words are helpful and thought provoking. I appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you again next week.
Refill with Randy 