Waiting

“God, why aren’t you listening?”

Have you ever gone to God with a prayer?  A desperate, “Please God, if You only, then I will …” kind of prayer?

I remember when I was in grade 9 I had this huge crush on a grade 12 boy.  He was so cute, and so smart.  All year long we exchanged glances and I would “accidentally” bump into him in the hall. I prayed and prayed that I would have the courage speak to him but the whole year went by and I hadn’t. Then finally at the end of the school year, as we were wrapping things up in the yearbook room, I found myself alone with him. I plucked up all my courage and said,

“Could you pass me the yellow folder, please?”  He smiled, picked up the folder and sat beside me.

My heart was beating so hard and so loud, I was sure he could hear it from where he was sitting. 

My prayers had come true.  All the nights I dreamt of this moment.  I just knew that God had heard my prayers! He was going to be my boyfriend and we were going to live happily ever after.  It had to be God’s will because that was what I had been praying for.

Then, out of nowhere this dark haired, beautiful boy leaned over and kissed me right there in the yearbook room!  In hindsight it was just a sweet peck, but it was a kiss!  After I caught my breath, he told me that he was moving to the States to live with his aunt and uncle.  He was leaving the next day.

“NOOOO.”  I was devastated. 

“How could You do this to me, God! This guy was the one! I have prayed and prayed and prayed! He was supposed to be the one!  God, what are you doing?” And I even wondered, “God, do you even know what you are doing?”

Of course God did.  Of course God does.

How often in life when we bump up against the unknown we meet with the same answer every time, “Have faith, be patient, it will all work out.”  It’s something that is easier said than done (Proverbs 3:5-6).

However, many years later, I understood. 

Looking back, that ‘relationship’ would have never worked. I couldn’t be with someone who randomly kisses girls in a yearbook room ;)  

Instead, God put someone else in my life, a boy who was so much more amazing, and much more handsome. A person who adores me, supports me and makes me a better person. All along, despite my little crushes and my desires, God had the perfect person just waiting for me. But God was waiting for me, to wait on Him.

Today, what are you asking God for and not getting? It's frustrating to not know what God has planned, but if you have faith, and put your trust in Him, God has something even better waiting for you — better than you can ever imagine. But it’s God’s plan and God’s timing. Are you willing to have faith and wait?

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.  (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Join me on Sunday as we talk about …Waiting.

Stronger Together by Guest Blogger: Tyler Scrivens

As we come to the halfway point of the year, we look back at the events that have occurred in utter shock and awe. It was just a few months ago that Australia was ravaged by fires, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping down from their royal duties, Kobe and Gigi Bryant, along with seven other passengers died in a helicopter crash, and that was only part of January. There have been numerous other events this year that feel like a lifetime ago. Now we are in the midst of the “unprecedented” global pandemic, and the Black Lives Matter social movement.   

COVID-19 has transformed the way in which the world operates. These changes have led to people feeling isolated, and we have seen a rise in depression and anxiety. We were created to be in community with one another, yet with these restrictions, community seems so distant. As a Youth Group, we have worked to create our own little virtual community. Our weekly Zoom calls are a place where we can share our thoughts, feelings, and be supported though our struggles. A slice of normalcy in our ever-changing world. If you are struggling, I would highly recommend joining one of the Life Groups that Amberlea is offering. Even if you are not struggling, you may be the person that someone needs in their life. Call that friend you have not spoken to in a while, send a quick text to your family member, and invite them into your community. This small action could make a huge difference in that person’s life.

As I speak about communities, I would be remiss to not mention the communities that are struggling, and not just with the fight against COVID-19… but the fight for equality. The Black and Racialized communities, LGBT2Q+ (I hope you all had a great Pride Month!), and other stigmatized communities are working against a broken system that has failed them time and time again. Maybe it is because of the pandemic that people are unable to distract themselves from the injustice that these communities face on a daily basis, but now society is finally calling for a change. Now is the time that we as Christians, and as human beings, can no longer live in our insular lives. It is time for change, and it starts with each one of us. God has commanded us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, but for too long we have stood idly by as we allow our neighbors to be discriminated and persecuted. 

So, where do we start? We need to educate ourselves on the history of suffering. We need to become aware of our privilege, and use that privilege to make change. Support the Black Lives Matter movement. For those that are wrestling with the “Black Lives Matter” versus “All Lives Matter” debate, in Luke 15: 1-7, Jesus tells us the answer. In the parable of the 100 sheep, did the shepherd stay with the 99 sheep? No, he went after the one that was lost. Did that mean the other sheep did not matter? No, what this means is the other 99 sheep were not the ones in danger. 

It is time for a change. Let us be part of the solution. 

 We are stronger together. 

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Tyler Scrivens is the Youth Director at Amberlea Church. He recently graduated from Knox College (UofT) with his Master’s in Pastoral Studies. Tyler is a Chaplain at Lakeridge Health.

A simple reminder

A woman and her husband, the mayor of a large city, were walking along the street one day when a construction worker on a nearby scaffold leaned over and shouted, "Hello, Peggy." She turned to look and recognized him as being an old boyfriend from high school. She stopped to say hello and have a brief conversation before she and her husband continued their walk.

The mayor chuckled and said to his wife, "See there, if you had married that fellow, you’d be the wife of a construction worker." 

She looked at him and said, "No, dear, if I’d married him, he would be the mayor of this city."

I love that!

We all need friends who will challenge us to higher levels of achievement, like dear Peggy.  And we need friends who will encourage us to grow in our faith.   

Imagine if your close friend knew of something that could change your life, something that could give you a peace and a joy that you never knew existed, something you had never experienced before … and your friend didn’t tell you about it. How would you feel? If it were my friend, I might actually question if they cared about me at all!   

I recently received a phone call from a woman. Her heart was aching over a strained relationship. (Yet another casualty of Covid. The stress on relationships in these past few months has been real.) It was so very clear to me that what she needed more than anything else was to know that she was loved. She needed to be reminded that she was loved by a God who would love her unconditionally; a God who would never leave her, never forsake her.  

My role in that interaction was to help her to think about things differently. To think about that which is true, and noble, and right, and pure and lovely. (Philippians 4:8). I believe that one of the most important things that we can do as a friend is to point people to God. 

I understand that it might be hard to talk about your faith. It is for many us. But, sharing your experience, of how God has given you an inexplicable peace in the midst of this madness, can never be wrong. There are many of our friends who are home, isolated, afraid and lonely — introducing them to an ever-present God may be the comfort and encouragement they need.

WE are blessed, aren’t we? You and I know that we are not alone. God is with us. Allow your friends the opportunity to experience GOD, too.

We can be a positive influence on others, like Peggy and her husband the mayor!

So here are two simple suggestions: 

• Invite them to tune into an online Amberlea service. Want to add some more fun to that? Invite them to a Facebook Watch Party and watch the service together from your own homes.

• Go for a social distanced walk, or just meet for a chat. It is amazing, particularly during these times, how organically you can talk about how God’s presence in your life is helping you cope.   

It’s that easy. And in doing so, you will be blessed!

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

— Galatians 6:9