A little girl delighted in helping her grandfather tend his rose garden of many beautiful and rare species. Daily, he gave such attention to the roses, and was accompanied by his granddaughter whom he taught to admire and enjoy the beauty of each blossom. One favorite rose was still tightly held in the bud, and the child and her grandfather waited patiently to see it in full bloom.
One morning, when the grandfather had come into the garden to inspect the choice rose, he found it torn open with all the soft petals broken and laid-back. The grandfather, asking the little girl what had happened, received this reply. “I just couldn’t wait any longer, so I blossomed it myself.”
The child, in her impatience, tried to do something that only God can do, and that is bring forth into full bloom the beauty of a completed rose.
How often we make the same mistake! In our immaturity and impatience, we try to do what only God can do, and that is make a spiritual rose blossom before its time.
James, in his general epistle, writes to believers who are suffering under persecution. There is no doubt but they had grown impatient, questioning the workings of God. They desired to be patient and wait on the Lord, but had become weary in doing so. James said: “But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:4)
Patience is nothing short of simply waiting on God. In our weariness from waiting we have a tendency to help God. Using our muscle, money, influence and abilities, we try to ‘blossom the rose’ ourselves. However, when we do, like the child, we destroy what God has intended.
I think of the children of Israel. It was said by the psalmist: “They limited the Holy One of Israel.” How can any man limit God? Simply by getting in His way, by running ahead of Him, or by refusing to follow where God leads.
If we would enjoy the beauty of all that God tries to do in our lives, we must learn to wait upon him. The psalmist also said: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)
Many times, we have heard it said: “God is slow, but He is never late.” So, let us wait on Him, remembering that time spent waiting before God is time that is never wasted. In His presence we will find strength to sustain us; and the result of our waiting will be an object of beauty far above our expectations, because it will be borne of God’s love for us, His children.
- Pastor Jerry L. Dunn, Oak Street Baptist Church
