Title: The Waiting Man / Luke 12:35-40
Since the end of World War II, there is a song that Jews sing when they keep the Passover, their important festival, and the song is called ‘Animamim’. ‘Animamim’ means ‘I believe’. Auschwitz concentration camp where 6 million Jews were brutally murdered. Among them, “Animamim” was the song that the Jews, who were living the most difficult life facing death, sang together and comforted each other.
Its contents were as follows. 'I believe. I believe that my Messiah will surely come to me to help me.’ He sings that simple verse over and over again. Then, when they saw their loving parents, siblings, friends and neighbors being dragged to death, their heart ached so much that they sang an additional verse after this hymn. ‘But sometimes the Messiah comes too late.’
But one surgeon never sang those last lyrics. Although he was about to die, he kept his body, mind, and actions neat and stood in faith until the end. Finally, as he came out of the camp, he sang the last verse of ‘Animamim’ with this: “But people are in too much of a hurry. Many times we give up our faith in too much of a hurry. People are in too much of a hurry. So many people give up their faith.”
In modern times, everything has to be fast. In the past, grains were crushed in a mortar to make rice, and side dishes were carefully prepared and eaten. We waited patiently and ate our food. These days, it has become the instant era.
Look at the many things God has given you. To get a child, a mother has to wait ten months, consuming days of mental preparation and unspeakable waiting. It takes decades to get wood from a tree, and it takes months to get fruit. Neither the baptism of the Holy Spirit, nor the hope of righteousness, nor our resurrection nor the salvation of our souls can be obtained without patience and the grace of waiting. God gives good things to life, but He gives good things after training life to wait. Those who wait patiently no matter what, get the best.
Today's text also says, "Be like men who wait for their master to open the door when he returns from a wedding and knocks." In this way, all believers were referred to as ‘waiting people’. He also said, “Be like a man who is waiting for you to open the door as soon as the master returns from the wedding house and knocks on the door.” Who are we waiting for? We wait for the Lord to return. What do those who wait really need?
patience is needed
Happy are those who wait patiently. A person without waiting is a person without hope, and a person without dreams and hope is a person of despair. So when a certain difficulty comes, you cannot overcome it. Where waiting stops, human life stops.
Patience is a virtue that keeps you waiting for a long time. Parents who work hard and suffer to pay tuition and school fees, even if their bodies are tired, there is happiness in waiting for their children to prosper and wait for success. A couple living apart from each other for work and business are lonely, but they are happy when they wait patiently for the day they meet.
We humans are living in a ‘waiting’ for something. Without waiting, our life would not be shiny and lively. Therefore, let us not be succumbed to the temptations of the world, not to lust, not to greed and lust for water. I sincerely pray that all of you will be patient and waiting until you meet Jesus, distinguishing between God's and mine.
must be sure
It can be said that life is born into a life of waiting in confidence from birth in this world. The poor wait for the rich to become rich, the sick wait for the sick to get well, the students wait for the speedy graduation from school, the young men and women wait for a good match to get married, and the parents wait for their children to become great people. However, this waiting must be the waiting with the certainty that it will be fulfilled.
A businessman must have the confidence of success, a climber must have the dream and confidence to conquer the summit, and parents who work hard for their children must have the assurance that they will see a good day. I can drive a car when I am confident, and I fly because I am sure that it will definitely take me to my desired destination, and I entrust myself because I am confident that I will get better with treatment by a doctor. When confidence is shaken, waiting is shaken. If you do not have confidence in your faith, you cannot receive what you ask for. If your conviction of salvation is shaken, you will have no choice but to go to the world.
The Lord said, “Surely I am coming soon.” The second coming is the Greek word ‘parusia’, meaning “near”, “appearing” or “beside”. Therefore, until Jesus comes, do not sleep with confidence, do not lose heart, and wait until Jesus comes. May we comfort each other in hopes of those who are sad. And I hope that all of you who are awake, watchful, and pray.
have to prepare
In Matthew 25, wise women could enter the wedding feast by preparing oil, but foolish women who did not prepare oil beat their breasts and regretted it, but it was already too late. It was impossible to meet the groom. There is no point in waiting like this. You must be ready. A virgin who is going to leave the house should prepare to meet the groom, and those who wait for the harvest in the fall should sow seeds in the spring.
Jesus prepared for 30 years for the 3 year work of salvation. After being saved, the apostle Paul went on a missionary journey after 14 years of preparation. After waiting 25 years, Abraham gave birth to Isaac, Jacob waited 20 years to return to his hometown, and Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt after waiting 13 years. Waiting without preparation is in vain.
There was a woman with a husband who went to the Middle East and participated in construction. A letter came in telling me that my husband, who had been away for a year, was returning. The woman who received the letter did not rejoice and rejoice, but her face became yellow and pale. Because the woman did something unclean while her husband was abroad. The return of a husband to an unfaithful woman was no different from the coming of the day of judgment.
On the other hand, there is another woman who sent her husband to the Middle East and lived apart for a year, waiting for the day he would return. But she had a completely different reaction. With a smile on his face, he made new kimchi while visiting the market, prepared various dishes to make a special meal, washed the bedding, cleaned the house, took a bath and went to a beauty salon the day before returning home.
Dear saints,
The life of waiting for the Lord's return must be a life of hope, a life of preparation, and a life of holiness. Now we are waiting for the “Kingdom of God” to be established on this earth soon. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Life is obviously living in waiting. In this world, there is a waiting for a robber in a dark alleyway, a trap of debauchery awaits, and a honeydew from a lustful woman. A soul hunter's net awaits. As a nation, we are looking forward to the day of national reunification. But our God is waiting for sinners to repent and return.
Dear saints,
Let's wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. Let's pray and wait for the Lord to give. Let's long for Jesus and wait for Him to return. Let's have a dream, be patient, and wait with confidence. Let's prepare everything and wait for Jesus. All happiness comes from waiting.