Waiting on Wednesdays

Last week our friend Matt had it on his heart to spur up prayer warriors on Wednesdays for our adoption.  He is hoping to have every hour on the hour from morning until evening filled with intercessors praying for Hosanna and Asher and the millions of other orphans like them waiting on a mommy and daddy.  We're so grateful that we are not alone in our waiting and that there are many interceeding for and with us.Today Justin and I's prayer time was spurred on by a few Scriptures focused on waiting.  It's so encouraging to know that whatever waiting room God has us in, we are there for a purpose.  He hears our cries, draws near to us in our time of need, and causes us to refocus our thoughts where they are meant to be fixed: on Him. 

Waiting with Courage:
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14

Waiting with Hope:
"But I trust in you, LORD; I say, 'You are my God.'  My times are in your hands."  Psalm 31:14-15

Waiting with Expectation:
"But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me."  Micah 7:7

Waiting with Strength:
"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

"The reality of waiting is that it’s an expression of God’s goodness not empirical evidence against it. He is wise and loving. His timing is always right, and his focus isn’t so much on what you will experience and enjoy, but on what you will become. He is committed to using every tool at his disposal to rescue you from yourself and to shape you into the likeness of his Son. The fact is that waiting is one of his primary shaping tools."
-Paul Tripp from the article Spiritual Muscle Development.