Waiting is the pits! Or is it? Most of us would say we dislike waiting. We don't want to wait at the doctor's office or to have our oil changed. This same impatience is often noticed at worship on Sunday. Let's learn a valuable lesson on patience.
After about hundred years of constructing a massive ark Noah loaded his family and the animals just as God commanded. But the rain didn't fall for another week. They stayed in an ark loaded with animals and an open door for seven days. Why? Because God commanded it. We don't know all the reasons God wanted them to wait. But one thing would have been clear. Those in Noah's world who heard his preaching had not just one day, but seven days to join his family in the ark. The door was wide open, but they didn�t realize their condition. If they had listened to God, they would have realized their plight and would have taken advantage of the open door. Recently we saw looters on TV breaking through locked doors for water and food in order to survive. This happened after the flood waters came. Don't you imagine if the people in Noah's day could have broken into the ark as those waters began to rise, they would have done so?. Maybe God had Noah and his family wait with an open door as an invitation. Sadly no one responded, therefore, God closed the door; and all others were lost. Today the Lord's invitation is still open. The Lord and His church are waiting to see what the lost will do. In this sense waiting is one of the most wonderful gifts offered to mankind. It isn't bad, but wonderful!
We know the Lord's invitation is always open. During worship we have a period of three minutes we call "the invitation song." During these three minutes, the whole attention of heaven and the crowd assembled, is to wait on those who want to avoid destruction and join those who are in the ark of safety. What a wonderful wait!
This may be hard to comprehend, but most Sunday's there are those in the crowd who can't wait those three minutes. While another may be contemplating a life saving decision, others are, it appears to be, insensitively walking out. Of all times for our patience to expire this just might be the worst! For souls sake, you are encouraged if you must leave early - don't do it during the song of invitation. For this is the best time to wait!