by David Scott Robertson
Right now,
As I write these words,
It’s exactly 90 minutes before the time I’m supposed to conduct a church service.
I will be leading the worship time,
Walking the congregation through communion,
Preaching a sermon,
And concluding the service with an altar call.
This is something that I don’t normally do.
For some I’m sure, this is not a big deal.
They do it all the time
And could do it far better than I.
But for me, it is a big deal.
I wonder, what “big deal” are you facing in your future?
At one time or another,
Haven’t we all been thrust into the uncomfortable but necessary situation
Of having to wait on some big event in our lives to come to pass?
And there comes a point in time
When it’s exactly 90 minutes before
The big deal,
The big event,
The huge occasion.
It’s the kind of event
That makes your palms sweat,
The spit in your mouth to dry up,
And all sorts of neat sensations to flare up in your stomach.
Is it just me, or does it seem like “the waiting part” is actually harder than “the doing part?”
Have you noticed that
As the final hour and a half counts down,
Depending upon the nature of the event,
Either the minutes tick by agonizingly slow or painfully fast.
A bride 90 minutes before her wedding.
A interviewee 90 minutes before appearing as a guest on Larry King Live.
A defendant 90 minutes before having to appear in court for sentencing.
An astronaut 90 minutes before takeoff.
A freshman at college 90 minutes before his first class.
A musician 90 minutes before her first concert.
A surgeon 90 minutes before his first operation.
A president-elect 90 minutes before his inauguration.
You and I could list a hundred different scenarios that are “big deals” to people.
And sooner or later,
It all comes down to 90 minutes before the event.
At that point, it’s crunch time.
So then, what can we, could we, should we do 90 minutes before the big event?
May I suggest four things that we as Christians might consider?
1. We should pray. We can do more AFTER we have prayed but we cannot do more UNTIL we have prayed. I recommend that you invite the Lord to help you speak and teach you what to say (Exodus 4:12). Confess any known sin and make sure your heart is right before God. Then we can and should ask the Lord for wisdom to think, speak, and act appropriately in the upcoming event. We can consecrate the situation totally to the Lord and trust Him to help us and He will.
2. We should worship. We need to express our faith in God by declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord of our situation. When we think of what Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary, everything else pales in comparison. No good thing will God withhold from them that walk uprightly before Him. And God knows exactly what you need when you need it. Come to Him in worship with a humble and contrite attitude. God inhabits the praises of His people and worship is a weapon that calms us and frustrates the enemy of our souls.
3. We should give thanks. While worship acknowledges who God is, giving thanks acknowledges His sovereignty and power to help us in our time of need. God’s credit is good. He can be trusted. We can express our confidence in Him by giving thanks on the front end of the situation. This is called faith. And faith excites God.
We can even do this in song. One time in the Bible, God ordered a king to send out singers in front of the soldiers into a battle chanting “praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chronicles21-22). As they began to sing and praise, the Bible records that the Lord sent ambushments against the enemy and victory was won without having to fire a shot. An attitude of gratitude packs incredible power!
4. We should enter God’s peace and rest. Once you have turned the situation over to God, you can relax. Pledge that with God’s help you’ll do your best and leave the results with Him. The Lord gave us a wonderful promise in Isaiah 26:3 that says: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Maintain a steady gaze on the Lord and like Peter walking on the water, God will help you do what may seem impossible to you.
Hebrews 4:1 contains another fantastic guarantee of God’s faithfulness to us: “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” Knowing that God is for you and not against you will help usher you into a peaceful, restful place as you wait for the final minutes to elapse.
One of the greatest things about facing a difficult challenge in our life is what happens next.
While it is true that there is a point
When you are 90 minutes BEFORE the big event,
There is also a point
When it’s 90 minutes AFTER the big event!
Satisfaction, fulfillment, joy, celebration, victory…
These feelings are reserved for those who patiently endure and conquer life’s challenges.
And when you have done what you have done
Out of obedience to something God has told you to do,
All of these feelings are intensified and magnified a thousand fold!
DSR
12/27/01