Waiting on God

I took this picture on Thanksgiving morning. I went there having envisioned this

picture in my mind and behind it is a story about waiting on God. My Dad

and I set out early to get pictures of this cross at sunrise. There is a retention pond near

that provides a wonderful reflection it and the best time to get the picture is

early while the water is calm. We had taken some pictures and walked around get shots

of other stuff and in the process I was looking for the best spot to take pictures of this cross

as the sun was coming up behind it. I found this spot and started lining up the shot, trying to

imagine what the it would look like and the camera settings I would need. It was at this

time that my Dad felt it was time to leave. He had made up in his mind that we had

gotten all the pictures we needed. My Dad is not known for his patience! When I told him

about the photo I was waiting to take, he realized we would have to wait at least an hour

and a half for the sun to be in the right position. I was determined to get this shot and my Dad

had made up in his mind that he was ready to leave so he put pressure on me.

He had a lot of reasons why we needed to leave, after all it was Thanksgiving and

I wasn't certain whether or not I was going to get the shot I was looking for. It was in the

midst of the pressure to leave and please my Dad that the Lord put a song in my head by

Juanita Bynum called ' I Don't Mind Waiting' . In the song, she is singing about how she

doesn't mind waiting on the Lord. At this point a peace entered my spirit and

I was able to resist the pressure to leave. There is a lesson that God taught me in this

situation. You see God gave me the vision for this particular shot and if I had left

when my Dad wanted us to leave, I would have missed out on some good photos. Has God ever

given you a dream or a vision for something and you abandoned it in the midst of pressure

or doubt. You started to doubt yourself or whether God was going to come through.

It is in these times that we need to,

"Be still, and know that I am God;"... Psalm 46:10

Sometimes we just need to resist the urge to react and just walk through the situation

having faith that God is working things out on our behalf even when we can't see

our way through the darkness.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Waiting is a lesson that the Lord is teaching me in photography. Sometimes you have to

get in position and wait for the right time to get the perfect shot. In the end it is worth the

pain of sitting in an uncomfortable position for long periods of time. Waiting is not easy

but it's worth it.

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;... Psalm 37:7

But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31