Waiting has formally become part of daily activities, for me personally. Living in the dormitory together with 800 scholarship students from every corner of this 2,4 hundred million country has been(by providence of Lord), a great experience for me and as part of it, is the 'enqueue culture'.
So, sometimes I have to wait until I get my meal in the Food Junction, to enter in the chapel and even to use the elevator and many other activities, inevitably requires me to wait. When I am staring at this little fact, I have just realized that even to wait is such good providence for us. Many times I find myself can not wait or delay my wishes. In responsing to other people, my beloved friends, I can't wait until I really listen.
As the result, instead of to be responsive and supportive, I become reactive. This happens because I used to be in hurry, in a rush. And the temptation is to be 'as quickly as possible to react, assume we understand and instantly solve the problem.' This 'instant mechanism' philosophy which has been powerfully attracting our modern world is to some extent has influenced the mind state.
Surprisingly, I found that waiting can be so profitable. In this time space we can be reflective by remembering Psalm, The Live of the Saint, or Wise words from the fathers. And in the stillness we can keep quiet and invoking his Holy Name. The providence in order to be mindful and watchfull in any occasion during the day and a very good time to pray.
Glory to God!
When I started my adult life after I finished university, I was married and had a small son. I did not have a car, and so to go to work (I was a wooden furniture maker), I had to ride the bus. This meant a lot of waiting. Waiting for the bus, then waiting on the bus while it was taking me to my work, and then, because the work did not start as soon as I arrived, waiting again for the whistle to blow to tell the workers to come into the factory.
ReplyDeleteWhat did I do with all this waiting?
I always carried my copy of the Wisdom books of the Bible in a small paperback. This little book contained all the wisdom books from the Jerusalem Bible, starting with Job, Proverbs and Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom of Solomon, Song of Solomon. All very good books to read.
So, as I stood at the busstop, or sat on the bus, or waited in front of the factory, I would read the psalms and pray. Not a moment was wasted! I came to know the Lord very quickly, and the many things He taught me helped me to live my life in those moments when I wasn't waiting.
Even today, in the pocket of my jacket, I carry a little softcover New Testament, and I read it in public whenever I have to wait for something, like to get a hair cut, or to get my tire fixed.
I realise there are times of waiting that are of a different kind, like you are writing about. Maybe you cannot occupy your mind by reading scriptures or other good books, but you can always talk to God instead of just to yourself. I know that you already know this, and that you are doing it. This is something we have to do for the whole of our lives, which in a strange way, are actually one long time of waiting.
Waiting for what?
Waiting to be received, body and soul, into the Kingdom of the Father. But this waiting is not alone: We have Someone waiting with us at all times.
"Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
Yudhie, I already left a comment on this post when I first read it, but I wanted to leave another. This is a general comment on your whole blog Heart Beats.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read everything yet, of course, but I have read enough to learn many things about you. Like this, you are from Lampung, Sumatra area. I also saw another very nice photograph of you which I will save to my PC when I get home (I am at work right now). I can also see that you are very good with English, and your mistakes are few. I can also see that you like languages.
I also like languages. Once I even started learning Bahasa Indonesia, and I may start again, in case I come to visit your country. English is my native language, but I also know German, French, Spanish, biblical Greek, and can also read and partly understand Arabic, Hebrew, Slavic languages (Polish and Russian). I also know a few hundred Chinese characters and can read a little Chinese. I was learning Japanese the last couple of years, but my teacher went back to Japan. I started a blog about my visit to Japan, but I never finished it. Have you noticed it? There is a link to it on my big blog. It is called Taka's Japan.
Anyway, not to talk about myself, except to let you know that I am a sympathetic person towards you and what you are interested in. I am really more interested to know about you. How did you become a Christian? Are you the only Christian in your family, and so on. Please send me an email so I can write you to your email address. Just use the email link on my blog. (I understand you may be busy, so please, respond when you have time.)
It is morning where you live, and I am getting ready for the evening here in America.
God bless you Yudhie, my brother.
Wow, It's wonderful to know you more. Wow, And also this is such a comfort for me knowing that you read my blog and really care and whish my best.
ReplyDeleteWhat a linguist! I am really impressed God's love in you and that you really work it out!
Alright, I am sending you an e-mail right now. Greetings to your son and family!
God bless you too
:)