Daily Devotional: Tuesday, August 3

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Taking Control

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Lift Us Up to Fall by Tenth Avenue North; Let God Arise by Chris Tomlin; Your Love Never Fails by Chris Quilala; Til I See You by Hillsong United.

Read:  Revelation 8:1-6 

Think:  As Pastor Ben spoke on waiting this weekend, a quote crossed my mind: ‘They also serve who only stand and wait’.  I knew it was an old poem, but I had to look it up to learn the meaning.  The poem is ‘On His Blindness’, a sonnet written by John Milton in 1655.  In it, Milton reflects on the seeming conflict between his shrinking ability to see and his growing desire to serve.  How can he be of any use to God if he’s blind? 

Milton’s answer is that obedience is the greatest service to God.  Some are obedient through overt action – traveling ‘o’er land and ocean without rest’, in the poet’s words.  But not everyone is called to action.  Those who ‘only stand and wait’ also render service to the king, and their service is as significant as anyone’s to a king who has everything. 

The Milton quote brings to my mind a thought from the last book of the Bible.  For me, one of the most exciting images from The Revelation is that of Christ enthroned as a triumphant king surrounding by throngs of men and angels in his service.  In the middle of the fantastic events unfolding, all of heaven falls silent ‘for about half an hour’ (Revelation 8:1).  Now that’s an interesting time of waiting!  Perhaps Milton found his inspiration in verse 2, with its reference to angels who ‘stand before God’.  As the passage progresses, these angels begin to take action by blowing on trumpets.  Yet their service to God is reported first as standing and waiting. 

Too often, we are eager to get past our time of waiting and on to a time of action.  We view our waiting time as mere preparation for service.  Sometimes it is a time of preparation.  But waiting in obedience is also a form of service.  Whether we are called to action, or called to waiting, obedience is the key.

Do:   In scripture, we are encouraged to serve God by serving others.  Undoubtedly, you’ll have to wait for someone today.  When you do, reflect on waiting as a way of serving that person. 

Pray:   God, I usually think of waiting as doing nothing.  Help me change that perception.  I want to serve you in whatever way you ask.  If that means waiting, I’ll wait.  Use my waiting, Lord, however you will.  Amen.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org