We have had the rain in Colorado over the past few days. The ground is saturated in some areas. There’s standing water in some locations. Rivers are rising. And the days continue to bring rain each afternoon.

In some cases, daily activities have come to a halt. Take my beloved Colorado Rockies baseball team for instance. They began a baseball game yesterday afternoon at 1:10 pm. They played a few innings and the weather turned bad. Game play was suspended. Then after a 45 minute rain delay, they picked up play again.

However, the game was delayed for yet another track of storms and heavy rain. During the 6^th inning, this particular game was suspended for good. This game was the last game of the series and each team was headed out of Denver at the end. So a decision had to be made about when this game would resume.

The Colorado Rockies don’t meet the San Francisco Giants in Colorado again until September. This just might be the longest rain delay in history!

In September, these two teams will resume the game in the 6^th inning with Troy Tulowitzki at the plate.

Perhaps you recall some delays in Scripture? The Hebrew nation was promised entrance to the Promised Land. But because of their disobedience to God, every male of military age when they left Egypt had died (Joshua 5:6). They wandered the wilderness for 40 years. That was a long delay.

Upon their return from captivity, the Jewish people rebuilt their own homes. They delayed in rebuilding God’s home. In Haggai, God made this statement. “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4 – NIV)

God asked them to consider their ways. Their crops had not been plentiful. They were never satisfied with their food, drink, clothing, or wages. Their lives were wasting away. Why? Because they thought of themselves first. They had delayed the rebuilding of God’s temple. God asked them to rebuild His home so that He could “take pleasure in it and be honored.” (Haggai 1:8 – NIV) Their delay in rebuilding the temple caused great hardship for the Israelites.

In the New Testament, we find several instances of delay.

• Lazarus became very ill and died. Jesus delayed His arrival so that God would be glorified through the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44).

• Jesus’ beloved disciples uncertain of their fate due to a 3-day delay between Jesus’ death and resurrection (John 19:28-20:31).

• Jesus asked the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them. It was 10 days after Jesus’ ascension before the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2).

Perhaps the ultimate delay has been Jesus’ promised return. It’s been 2,000 years since He left the disciples in Acts 1. Jesus’ followers have been waiting for the skies to open and the trumpets to sound. What a day that will be!

In our lives, we can expect delays for many reasons. Weather, health, traffic, natural disasters all bring elements we may not have control over. But perhaps the most important element to delay is what to do while we’re waiting.

For the baseball players, they can only continue to play ball each day to the best of their ability.

For Israel, they wandered and wondered why God was not blessing them through their disobedience.

For those in the New Testament, some were faithful while others grumbled about the delay.

What category do you fall in? While we wait for Jesus’ return, what are you doing? Are you grumbling? Are you striving to live a faithful life? Are you disobedient? Are you wandering and wondering?

Jesus calls us to be faithful to Him while we wait for His return. Don’t let His delay cause you to question His promise. He will be back. He said He would. Jesus always keeps His promise.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna