I Took Off My Watch Today

I took my watch off in church tonight. That might be a fact that seems uninteresting to you all, but it was a symbolic gesture. There are certain things, specific and direct promises of the Bible in fact, about which I can get fairly impatient. I was having an impatient day today.

And as I was in worship today, I listened to the song I was singing. The words coming out of my own mouth were about kings and their kingdoms bowing down to the Lord. I felt the pull inside of me, and knew I had places inside me inside that needed to bow down. The words of my pastor from a few weeks back came to my heart: surrendering to God's will means that you have to be willing to not get your own way. I knew that, for me, the message the Spirit was bringing to my heart was that I needed to continue to trust in God for His promises, for I know that they are coming (believe me; He's expended no small effort convincing me of that!)... BUT, I need to stop worrying about when. I needed to let go of the timing. I needed to be fully and wholly willing to not get my way.

And I'll be frank with you (and tell you something you probably already know): my preference would be that God would fulfill some of these promises sooner rather than later. And, I'll tell you something else that you (hopefully already know): God's sense of timing is not only perfect, but it's a little different than my own. Sometimes, it's a LOT different.

So, as I'm standing in worship, hands in the air, the Spirit gave me an idea that I knew was from Him and that I knew I needed to follow through with. I took off my watch. I left it off for the remainder of the service, and I suspect that I may take it off next time I'm in church. And maybe, for awhile, I'll just take my watch off as I go into church. Just as a reminder to myself of what it means to surrender fully. It means being willing to not get my way, to not have things happen n my own time. And it means that I do it all willingly, gladly. So, off with the watch. His timing is perfect. And He doesn't need a watch. I trust Him. I will continue to do so. That's really all there is to it. And all there ever will be.