Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
(Psalm 27:14)
For reasons
we don't always understand, God has a specific
timetable for accomplishing His work in the
world. Often, His timetable isn't the same as
ours. This is why the Scriptures instruct us to
"wait on the Lord."
Some people have
the idea that waiting is just sitting around
doing nothing -- like waiting to see the doctor.
That's not the kind of waiting the Bible is
talking about.
The primary
Hebrew word we translate as "wait" means not
just "to wait" but "to look for, or expect." The
Greek word translated "wait" has the connotation
of "expecting fully." Note that neither the
Hebrew nor the Greek suggests
inaction.
We began talking
about a new facility for Gateway Church many
years ago. But, frankly, for a long time we
really didn't do much more than talk. I guess we
were waiting on God in the wrong way!
Seven years ago,
we started taking action and purchased property
on the Jefferson Highway. Three ago that we
received what we believed to be a prophetic word
that we could be in a new building in 18 months
if we were united, prayed, and believed
God.
The timing
hasn't worked out as we thought, but I believe
the message for us now is to be strong, take
heart, and wait for the Lord. In other words, we
are to "fully expect" Him to finish what has
been started.
Be
encouraged!
We have good
reason for such expectation. God has not been
inactive in our pursuit for a new facility. When
we started moving, He started moving.
He led us to a
specific piece of property seven years ago.
Eventually, we purchased a total of 15 acres for
$165,000. Now we're selling less than one third
of that land to the Georgia Department of
Transportation for $160,000. The property we
have remaining is valued at $280,000.
In other words,
when the transaction with the DOT is complete,
we have spent a net amount of $5,000 for land
worth 56 times that amount! That looks like a
"God thing" to me!
Our "Rise Up and
Build Campaign" a few months ago was extremely
successful. We received more than $130,000 in
pledges to be paid by the end of this
year.
Yes, we still
have a ways to go in fundraising, but when the
pledge funds are combined with the DOT proceeds,
we will be close to being able to start
construction. We even have a reasonable
expectation of being able to construct this
building without debt!
And there's
more! In recent weeks, we've been able rework
our building design so that we will have enough
space to hold both our worship services and our
discipleship classes in the new building. A few
months ago, we thought we wouldn't have enough
space to make that possible.
Praise God from
whom all blessings flow!
Active
waiting
Yes, we're
close. But we're still "waiting on" God for the
rest of the elements to come into place. But
while we're waiting, we must not be sitting
still! There are things we need to
do.
One of the most
important is to spend time in specific
prayer!
I need you to
pray:
(1) for
Kjierstin Fellerer, the architect working on
our plans;
(2)
for the pastor and building committee as
decisions are being made about the
project;
(3) that God
would provide the means for everyone to pay
their pledges on time;
(4) that the
Lord of all creation would give us favor with
the charitable foundations from which we are
requesting grants;
(5) that He
would give us favor with government officials
who must review and approve our
plans;
(6) that we
would choose the right contractor for the
construction;
(7) that in
all this we would conduct ourselves in a
manner that would honor Jesus
Christ.
Looking
unto Jesus
Let me quote my
good friend, Charles Sineath, a wonderful man of
God who recently retired as pastor of a church
in Marietta: "It is God's work, done God's way,
in God's timing that will not lack God's
provision."
I believe that.
I'm asking you to believe it with me.
As we wait on
God together, let's wait actively -- on our
knees -- praying, trusting, hoping, and fully
expecting.
God really does
love you! And so does the preacher!
See you in
church Sunday!
