Vern spends a large part of his day waiting. If you happen to step up to our back deck, he will have his nose up against the screen watching for our return. In the evening, you can find him seated near his bowl in anticipation of his food being placed on the floor. In the late night, he can be found waiting to jump up on our bed and snuggle.
And with all of his waiting, he never complains. Instead, he appears in great thought as he spends his time in the limbo between wanting and having what he desires.
Yesterday, my husband and I flew home from Philadelphia where we were visiting our daughter. Our flight was delayed close to two hours which was an inconvenience. All we wanted was to get home and resume our lives. But instead, we were seated in the far end of the airport, waiting.
I have recently discovered that waiting is when the good, bad, and ugliness of my soul is uncovered and laid bare. As the limbo of time passes with no clear destination, I find my true self.
On the other hand, instant gratification breeds off of endorphins and the adrenaline the physical body releases. But waiting goes beyond the emotional and physical triggers and takes us into a spiritual realm where the soul resides.
No one understood waiting as much as Jesus. From the beginning of his ministry until he was nailed to the cross, he waited. He spent forty days in a desert and then walked thousands of miles with a group of men who would never understand him until his death. All the time, waiting to return to his Father in Heaven.
Yesterday, when we entered the back porch, Vern was found waiting. And as we opened the door, he jumped up and stretched his paws as high as they could reach to let us know it was worth the wait.
And as happy as we were to experience the love from our dogs, I can’t imagine the welcome I will receive when I enter into heaven and am embraced by the One who has been waiting for my arrival.