Waiting and trusting

We've been exploring Isaiah in our Wednesday Panera Bible Study. This week we discovered together that there seems to be a correlation between trusting God and waiting on Him. While this may seem obvious at first, I think that my schedule and most schedules don't create much space for waiting. It is easy for me to say that I trust God, but it is not as easy for me to say that I wait on Him.

It makes me question what I'm really trusting.

Is it the emails that I'm waiting to receive?
Is it the movie for which I'm waiting to be released?
Is it the vacation that is on the horizon?
Is it the phone call from my friend/family?
Is it the new gadget that is soon to arrive on the scene?

Now, I realize that not all waiting implies ultimate trust, but it does beg the question, "Do the things I'm waiting on have too weighty of significance in my life?" Which leads to the better question, "Are the things I'm waiting on those things that God desires?"

PS Click on the pic to see the artist's explanation of "They Are Waiting"

from critical to creative

a friend of mine in our youth ministry recently brought a series of articles to my attention in a past issue of Relevant Magazine.

One of the articles was by Ed Young and centered on the Plank parable, where Jesus directs his followers to avoid having a spirit of criticism and judgementalism. Ed pointed out that the spirit of criticism often keeps a person from realizing the mercy that God has for herself let alone the mercy God wants to extend to others through her.

Another article contained thoughts from Mark Driscoll, the famous cussing pastor in Seattle. In his interview he pointed out that unless the 20's generation moves from being critical to creative, nothing will change.

i wonder what these thoughts have to say to the journey towards justice.