What Are We Waiting For?

The most pressing question in my life at the moment in regard to my walk with God is this one: What am I waiting for? This question has come from a careful analysis of Paul's conversion in Acts 9. The passage has always intrigued me, and in these last weeks, I have read the story with fresh eyes that resulted in fresh impact.

As Paul is headed to Damascus to continue his attack on the followers of Jesus, Jesus interjects himself in the life of Paul. God is always the great Initiator of life. There was a way that seemed right to Paul, but its end for him would be death as he had based his whole life in the pursuit of a man-centered righteousness. Then after meeting Jesus, he comes to the great realization that none of that was enough to get salvation. Acts 9:9 tells us that after his encounter with Christ, "And for 3 days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank". It was in these 3 days that Paul makes his decision and his life goes in a new direction. He did not wait more than 3 days until his decision was made.

Now look at what he began to do in Acts 9 after his decision was made to live for Jesus.
---Acts 9:8 - Immediately gets up and goes into the city as told by Jesus. He obeys from the begining.
---Acts 9:18 - Immediately he was baptized
---Acts 9:20 - Immediately begins to proclaim Jesus
---Acts 9:21 - His life change is immediately seen by all
---Acts 9:22 - Immediately he starts growing and moving forward in his faith
---Acts 9:23-25 - Immediately the Jews start to seek to kill him
---Acts 9:26 - He does not fit in the establishment at first.
---Acts 9:31 - His passion influences how the church walks with God

Paul did not wait long to decide if he was going to really live it. All of this happened without going to a discipleship or evangelism seminar. It was enough for him to decide to follow and then actually do it.

So, I ask us all again: What are we waiting for? Do we think something better is going to come along? Do we think something else is required? For Paul it was enough to simply walk with Jesus. The great pursuit of his life became one thing - to know the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Nothing mattered more than this pursuit.

What are you waiting for?