Waiting on the promise
Seemed so simple when it was given.
“Go to the land that I will show you,
And I will make of you a great nation!”
It wasn’t a specific promise.
The command was quite specific
Although it conveyed a lot of uncertainty.
But going was more apparent than staying.
Where to go wasn’t really part of the promise,
Nor was it part of the command.
I guess the “Where” was intended
To be kept for the trusting and believing.
Maybe the goal must have been kept a secret
To ensure that I don’t leave the path
Or try any shortcuts.
I still tried many shortcuts.
Maybe growing in faith and dependency on God is more important than the “Where”.
I guess who guides me is more important
Than where He guides me.
So, I departed from where I stayed
And went to where I was guided.
I did quite well at the beginning,
But then I stopped trusting the promise.
I betrayed my loved ones
And chose a path of sight instead of faith.
I ended up in the wilderness of shame.
Going back, I remembered the promise.
After a war, I met a Priest of God – the Most High
Who became my great reward.
And He renewed the promise.
He promised me an heir.
Even then, waiting on the renewed promise
Was quite simple because I was thrilled.
The excitement bore the burden of faith.
The certainty of the moment replaced any doubts.
But uncertainty crawled in again.
I tried to fulfill the promise by myself.
I became the master of my fate.
But my fate and I suffered shipwreck.
I realized my fate depends on my faith.
The One in whom I believe gave me a new identity.
I became the father of many,
But still, I waited for the promised one.
Shame didn’t leave a mark on me,
So I had to taste its bitterness again.
Although the promise was in sight,
I chose a shameful path again.
The Most High found me at my lowest point.
The promised one was conceived.
The promisor was faithful.
Waiting on the promise was my fate.
Romans 4:18-22
[18] In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” [19] He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. [20] No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, [21] fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. [22] That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”