The Red Carpet

“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and there He waits on high to have compassion on you” Isaiah 30:18.

A few days ago our grandchildren were over at our house.  Previously, Kherington and I had discussed feeding the ducks the next time she came over.  As soon as she arrived she recalled the promise and looked to me for its fulfillment. As I was getting dinner started among a million other things she watched anxiously as the ducks began swimming away to the other side of the lake.  She dissolved in a pool of tears and despair as she watched what seemed like the desire of her heart disappearing.  Her hand in mine and bread in the other hand, I peacefully walked her down to the edge of the lake and asked her to trust Emmy and be patient.  I explained that if we stand on the water’s edge and begin throwing bits of bread into the water, the ducks will return.  Hesitantly she began tossing the bread into the water still unbelieving.  But, I knew something Kherington hadn’t yet learned…patience is always required in waiting on our dreams.  After five minutes of throwing bread the ducks and ducklings made their way back and Kherington learned a valuable lesson that day.  It is a Christian principle that we would all do well to incorporate daily into our spiritual life – Our patience rolls out the red carpet for God’s mercy, grace and blessings.  Gideon, Priscilla Shirer.  On the flipside of that, God’s patience rolls out the red carpet for our spiritual development and righteousness.

Since the Garden of Eden, God’s heart has been bent on saving us, changing us, using us and strengthening us.  Repeatedly, mankind has detoured off of God’s plan and God has patiently thrown out the bread luring us back into His arms.  He sits on the sideline of our lives and tosses out those bits even if we are on the other side of His will.  He is not anxious, mad or disappointed but rather determined to bring us back to Him.  He need not fret or worry because He knows that if He waits at the water’s edge long enough, like the ducks we will glide back to Him. 

If He loved us enough to die for us then He certainly loves us enough to wait for us.  His patience is long-suffering and He longs…pines…aches for the opportunities to comfort and lavish His love upon us.  We in turn must be patient in our desires and sit next to Him faithfully watching the perfect plan of God unfold before our very eyes.