“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 (ESV)
Friends of ours were on their way to pick up their newly born adopted baby. While on their long drive there, just hours out from the hospital, they received the call saying the parents decided to keep the child! Disappointed, they turned back towards home. This had been a 15 month journey, with the past several months intentionally and intensively preparing for this child. They have now been put first on the ‘stork baby’ list! They have been waiting for over a month for a call to come get their new baby, but none has come yet. They have to live in constant readiness. At any moment they could have a suddenly, and a new baby in their home!
This quite aptly describes the days we live in. The kingdom is here, yet much more is coming, soon! Breakthrough is coming, but it’s been a long time getting here, and today it’s very dark! Many are weary in the wait. Many are walking away. But it could be today. Breakthrough, turn around, restoration, divine reset, could leap upon us suddenly, tomorrow, even today!
Please ask the Lord to strengthen your resolve to wait for Him. You will not be disappointed. Lay before Him all your previous disappointments, those places you knew He was going to show up but He didn’t! Ask Him to breathe into any place your bones have been crushed by the hope deferred. Ask Him to prepare you for the suddenly, for the release of His promises, for the breakthrough that’s coming. Pray that in your pastor every place where hope has been deferred in this previous season, to be simply washed away, with a renewed passion and vision for what is coming! Pray for the churches across our city to lay aside our weariness and come back together with wholehearted faith believing God is going to pour out revival in Athens, that Athens will be saved!!!