True Love Waits

The other day at Mardel's I found some of the True Love Waits rings and realized that it was exactly what I've been looking for without even knowing I was looking! I had heard of the idea in the past and seen pictures of the rings but it never really occurred to me to get one. More recently though I'd been wanting a symbol to remind myself of my faith that God has me exactly where He wants me.

The traditional meaning of the phrase has been centered around moral purity but for me personally it was much more than that. It's also about waiting for that perfect one God has for me and not just the first nice Christian guy that comes along. But as I thought of this I thought of other applications in the lives of friends and family members. What if you found your true love...but it has been lost along the way and you must wait for God to bring it back? This is also not an easy thing to wait for and many along the way encourage you to give it up. But true love waits.

Waiting seems to be a constant classroom God has me in. I guess I haven't learned patience yet because it seems every time I turn around He's telling me to wait for something. Waiting for people, waiting for answers... Do you know how many times the theme of waiting on God is in the Bible? I think of Joseph and how much of his life he was waiting on God--in the pit his brothers threw him, in slavery to Potifar, in prison. I think of Abraham waiting for God's promised son, Jacob waiting for Rachel, David waiting to be king...and many others. Over and over again people waiting for God to work in impossible situations that sometimes they tried to change on their own and failed. But you know what? God makes beautiful promises for those who do wait on Him. Isaiah 40:31 says "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 30:18 tells us "blessed are all they that wait for Him."

So I wait, and wait, and wait some more. And I look at this ring and I don't just think of the one out there somewhere I'm waiting for but I think of others I know who are waiting in various ways. I think of how God waits for each of us to receive the gift of Love He gave us on Christmas. I think of waiting for Christ to return for His bride. I think my new favorite verse is Psalm 130:5--"I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope." Instead of looking at my ring as waiting for someone, I am waiting for the Lord to do great and marvelous things for me and for the ones I love.

There's a song that has been especially meaningful to me lately in regards to waiting. It's called "Time In Between" by Francesca Battistelli.

You were there when your Father said
Let there be light
You obeyed when He whispered
Son, You have to leave tonight
To spend nine months in a mothers womb
Three days in a borrowed tomb

But it’s the time in between
That brings me to my knees
Knowing you came for me
And all that I can't be
I'm amazed, so amazed
And I thank You for the time in between

Don't take much for this crazy world
To rob me of my peace
And the enemy of my soul
Says You’re holding out on me
So I stand here lifting empty hands
For you to fill me up again

But it’s the time in between
That I fall down to my knees
Waiting on what You'll bring
And the things that I can't see
I know my song’s incomplete
Still I'll sing in the time in between

So many ways
Your love has saved the day
And I'm grateful for them all

But it’s the time in between
The middle of two thieves
That says everything
It’s the reason I believe
I'm amazed, so amazed
And I thank you for the time in between
Oh Lord, I thank you for the time in between