~ So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually. ~ Hosea 12:6 (NJKV)
One month after our wedding, my husband, Gene,
left me. The United States Army Reserves decided that a three-month separation
was in order. So, they flew him across the continent to California (not our idea
of a long-term honeymoon). During this time, we wrote love letters. An
occasional phone call eased our wooing hearts, but it was expensive. The time
change and his schedule limited our conversations.
When the day of Gene’s return finally
arrived, I was so excited. It was wonderful to know that he’d be home for
Christmas. I primped my hair and changed my outfit five times. Eager to make
sure everything was perfect, I was an hour late picking him up at the airport.
Gene took pictures of his buddy and his wife arm-in-arm before they left for
their second honeymoon. I have a picture of my beloved – alone on his duffle
bag. But, he waited patiently on me. I guess I was worth the wait because he has
continued to wait patiently for
the past thirty some years.
There
are moments in our relationship with God when He seems to have forgotten us.
Like Gene, we sit on our “duffle bags” wondering if He still wants us. We
feel slighted and unloved. But, God is not late nor has He forgotten us. Neither
has He moved. We are the ones who need to return to Him with His help.