waiting

Waiting for the dawn to dawn when night is long and black,
Waiting for a heart to heal or a kid to get on track.
Waiting for delay to end and wishes to come true,
Waiting for a sight or sense of You.

Waiting for the one who left to find the way back home,
Waiting for this sense of loss to leave my heart alone,
Waiting, wondering, hurting, in a hole of pain so deep,
Waiting for just one good night sleep.

Waiting for an answer, for evidence that You care,
Waiting for employment, for just one answered prayer.
One small affirmation for freedom from self doubt
Waiting for a way to work it out.

Waiting for the Bible to start and make some sense
I'm sick of my ambivalence, and sitting on the fence.
Waiting for a promise that truth will have its way
For justice to win out one grace filled day.

Waiting for world that's deaf, to hear You and repent.
Waiting for the human race to believe the One you sent
To save forgive equip to live in holiness and power
Waiting for salvation in this hour

Waiting for the violence and the conflict that abounds
The wrong You seem to tolerate, the injustice that's around
To stop, because You intervene and answer desperate prayer:
Waiting just to know You're waiting there.

But Lord the waiting's killing me, I cry to You for peace,
To still the storm inside me and make my turmoil cease.
Help me to remember as i try to do my part,
How patiently You waited for my heart.

You waited for repentance that was Your perfect due,
You waited out resentment and my anger aimed at You.
You waited in the shadows and You offered me Your hand,
To strengthen me to wait it out and stand.

So however long the waiting lasts: as long as You decide,
I'll stand upon my watchtower and I'll climb my mountainside,
And I'll ask you Lord for 'hind's feet' and my soul will render praise,
As You and I will wait for better days.

Though fig tree does not bud and though no cattle in the stall,
Though donkeys and the sheepfold have no company at all
Yet see my heart oh Sovereign God, rejoicing in your grace:
Content to wait it out and see your face.


~Jill Briscoe (April 2010)