Waiting

Dear Boys and Girls,

When our horse left us, our little donkey, Cappy, was very lonely. He didn’t understand, and he stood by the gate waiting and waiting for his friend to come back. Every once in a while, he would bray a loud and forlorn, “Hee-haw!” At his crying our hearts filled with pity. Not only the younger children ran quickly outdoors to keep him company, but all of us older ones hurried to comfort him, too. In time, Cappy forgot his old friend and began to call out to us, instead. My daughter turned around again and again by the doorway because every time she attempted to go inside, Cappy would cry after her, begging her not to leave.

Cappy waited expectantly for company; meanwhile, we waited expectantly for the mail. Each day, we would run out to the mailbox. Our son had left for his military training at the Air Force Base, and we were waiting to receive a letter from him. He was not allowed to have a phone, and we were so anxious to know if he were doing alright. Not only that, but we missed him very much. The mailbox suddenly became a very important part of our property. We walked to the end of the driveway several times a day. Would there be a letter yet? The first letter finally arrived, and everyone wanted to see it and read it. A smile lit my face, and I already had the envelope open as I walked back to the house. Even seeing his handwriting was a joy, and the first letter did not end our waiting. No, each day again, we wait expectantly and wonder, “Is there going to be a letter today?”

Waiting…. Waiting is not easy, is it? Have you ever waited for your birthday or for vacation, and it seems to be such a long time till the time will arrive? Waiting can be difficult. It can seem long. It can be sad. No doubt Cappy was sad as he waited for someone to rub his chin and give him a hug. It can also be a little frightening. Would a letter ever come? If a letter weren’t there yet, did that mean something was wrong or our son didn’t feel well? The Lord awakens in the heart of some people a waiting feeling such as this. Previously, they were content with their life as it was. They did not need God; they needed only their daily events, companions, work, and enjoyments. The Lord begins to work in their heart. He makes them see that all these things cannot fill their heart with true joy. These people begin to miss the Lord. They begin to long for a word from Him, and they wait for Him to hear and be gracious to them. They now need Him and see how wrong they have lived their whole life. Sometimes, the Lord gives them a little hope and expectation in their heart. Would the Lord, perhaps, have something to say to them, today, in God’s house? Would the Lord, perhaps, take notice of them even though they do not deserve it at all?

Sometimes God’s people are afraid when they wait. Will He ever show mercy? Will He ever look upon them again? They have sinned so much, so often, and again and again… but the Lord does answer these waiting people, in His time. Then even the smallest word of hope makes them happy.

We often sing the psalter, “I waited for the Lord most high, and He inclined to hear my cry.” The Lord hears these people who are waiting for Him. They may be sad, and it may seem to take a long time, but the Lord knows the right time to comfort them. How does He comfort them? He does this when He touches their heart with His Word.

An answer to our waiting fills us with joy and excitement. A long-awaited letter, day, or event makes us happy. So, God’s people are happy when their waiting is answered. When they receive a token of God’s love to their heart, they are filled with joy. It makes them full, yet it also makes them long for more. They do not want the Lord to leave and go away from them again. They beg the Lord to give them another little token, and they tell Him that they are yet missing so much in their life. They not only need comfort, but they need to know that He is not only able but also willing, and has forgiven them and made them His own children. They always remain a waiting, begging people all of their life.

The hearts of young and old were filled with compassion at the sad braying of our donkey. When the Lord’s people are waiting for the Lord to show them mercy, speak a word to them, or answer them, they do not sit back, being lazy and doing nothing at all. No, their waiting is a crying and sighing to the Lord. Sometimes it is an expecting and hoping. Sometimes it is a sitting in church with a hungry heart. Sometimes they feel almost hopeless, yet they are still waiting, showing the Lord their needy heart. It says in the Bible that “the Lord hears the needy when they cry.” The Lord does not do anything for them because of their pitiful cry but because He Himself put that cry in their heart and He delights in hearing their need for Him.

Fill in the blanks. Answers can be found in Psalms 25, 27, 33, 37, 39, 40, 52, 62, and Isaiah 8.

1. “Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ___________: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.”

2. “Wait on the Lord: ___________ of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

3. “For evildoers shall be ___________ off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.”

4. “Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the ___________.”

5. “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my ___________ is from Him.”

6. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: ___________ not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

7. “I will praise Thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on Thy name; for it is ___________ before Thy saints.”

8. “Our soul waiteth for the Lord: He is our ___________ and our shield.”

9. “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He ___________ unto me, and heard my cry.”

10. “And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of ___________, and I will look for Him.”

11. “Wait on the Lord, and ___________ His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.”

12. “And now, ___________, what wait I for? my hope is in Thee.”

1. A________________________

2. B________________________

3. C________________________

4. D________________________

5. E________________________

6. F________________________

7. G________________________

8. H________________________

9. I________________________

10. J________________________

11. K________________________

12. L________________________

For the Older Children

Use the secret code and write the message. Secret code puzzle is on the next page.

For the Younger Children

Color the card with colors of a sunrise and send to a loved one.

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

Answers to last month’s “Darkness” quiz:

1. Beast Revelation 16:10

2. Uprightness Proverbs 2:13

3. Wicked Proverbs 4:19

4. Fool Ecclesiastes 2:14

5. Unfruitful Ephesians 5:11

6. Come, am, translated, believeth, followeth

7. Honor thy father and thy mother.

8. The Lord does not take disobedience lightly, and it is a terrible sin to disobey our parents.

9. B

10. C

11. A

12. They were cast into everlasting darkness.

13. Armour of light

14. Spiritual wickedness

15. Walk while ye have the light.

16. Three thousand

17. Saul

18. Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

19. I am He.

20. Today is salvation come to thy house.

Answers to previous quizzes were received in May from:

Emily Bazen

Eryn Bisschop

Gary Boon

Jenny Boon

Hayley Bosch

Bethany Bruinsma

Janessa Bruinsma

Samantha Bruinsma

Sarina Den Bok

Thomas Den Bok

Weston Ekema

Drake Finley

Kari Groen

Kurtis Groen

Adrian Groenendyk (3)

Benjamin Groenendyk (3)

Jacoba Groenendyk (3)

John Groenendyk (3)

Autumn Kegel

Hannah Kegel

Sophia Kegel

Claire Kelderman

Derik Keurhorst (3)

Dwayne Keurhorst (2)

Stephanie Keurhorst (3)

Ashley Knibbe

Courtney Knibbe

Lindsey Knibbe

Whitney Knibbe

Arik Korevaar

Marlisa Korevaar

Rebekah Korevaar

Rebecca Krygsman

Sarah Krygsman

Krystina Mol

Lydia Mol

Maria Mol

Rachel Mol

Sabrina Mol

Michelle Neels (2)

Andrew Remijn

Colin Ten Hove

Esther Teunissen (3)

Joel Teunissen (3)

Lydia Teunissen (3)

Aaliyah Timmer

Arianna Timmer

Harley Timmer

Hunter Timmer

Kadin Timmer

Sierra Timmer

Skye Timmer

Wyatt Timmer

Andrew Van Brugge

Anna Van Brugge

Austin Van Den Top

Cory Van Hemert

Shantel Van Liere

Alyssa VandeBruinhorst

Jennifer VandeBruinhorst

Joshua Vande Lagemaat

Brandon Vrieselaar

Kyra Vrieselaar

Noah Vrieselaar

Jonathan Wesdyk

Laura Wesdyk

Rebekah Wesdyk

Alisha Wessels

Anthony Wessels

Johanna Wessels

Bethany Ymker (4)

Jacalyn Ymker (4)

Please send your answers to the address shown below:

Aunt LenaBeth

180 Jacobs Road, Newfoundland, NJ 07435

E-mail: auntlenabeth@gmail.com

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen