Monday, August 22, 2005

Good Things Come to Those that Wait

I first really learned the concept of the word "deferred" when I started working for a publishing company. We sold annual subscriptions for various prices and accounting for the revenue was unique. We'd collect $150 for a year's subscription in advance and then defer that income over the next twelve months. Although we already had all the money, we didn't experience the revenue until the publications were shipped.

I was reminded of a Scripture recently that I love and have claimed a lot in the past, but it had faded into the back room of my memory. Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true there is life and joy." This is a verse, as a single person, I cherish. It allows a dreamer like me, someone who never gives up hope, realize that although hope may be deferred, when the dream comes true, it is very joyful. Someone made the comment in a Bible study I was in last week that she never saves seats in church. I told her I don't either, my husband may come and sit there. The facilitator of our study, and my associate pastor, overheard my comment and said, "Always a woman of faith." A hope deferred.

I often wonder if that dream will be fulfilled, yet I realize that I'm a dream fulfilled from a hope deferred from many years ago. My parents had a hope for a child for nearly 20 years before their dream was fulfilled in my birth. I'm not only an unexplainable life, but a real life example of how a hope deferred can make the heart sick, but that dreams are fulfilled by God's grace.

4 comments:

Tina said...

This is a serious comment and NOT an ad. That said, have you read the book "Did I Kiss Marraige Goodbye: Trusting God with a Hope Deferred" by Carolyn McCulley. It is excellent!

--tina

p.s. you might want to consider changing your comment settings to NOT allow anonymous comments. ;)

RosieBoo said...

Actually, I've scanned the book, but not read the whole thing. I've got a link on my homepage to Carolyn's Blog "Solo Feminity"

Thanks for the advice...until this post, I never had this issue. My settings are changed. :)

Tina said...

I highly recommend her book. I had a mini-retreat with it one weekend and I am changed...and still changing by His grace.

The Lord has used her tremendously. In the book she has a sort of joke about how people always ask single women "so why aren't you married." She suggests a pithy, yet biblical answer: for your good.

The truth is, it was for the good of others. She has written so much and touched so many lives and is just SO precious! There really is no other logical reason for her to remain unmarried except for a divine purpose.:)

--tina

RosieBoo said...

Our singles pastor once said, when people ask you 'You are such a nice person, why are you still single." You responde, "Hmm, you are such a nice person, why are you married?" :)