11:59 and 59 seconds

He’s an on-time God by Dottie Peoples

Chorus:

(He's an on time God, yes, He is).

Oh, on time God, yes, He is.

(Job said), He may not come when you want Him,

(but He'll) be there right on time;

(I tell ya He's an) on time God, yes, He is.

I grew up listening to that song but had not been able to appreciate what Ms. Peoples’ was singing about until I became an adult.  These past five years have been a waiting game like none I’ve ever played before and I am sure that there will be more waiting games ahead.  There is that saying we all know, "It always comes in the eleventh hour."  That could not be truer of my life right now.  And it is really out of my comfort zone. 

A word I received before I started my last season five years ago was this, “If I gave you your calling right now it would crush you.”  Needless to say, that word puzzled me.  I thought, “Good Grief!  What are you giving me that is so big?  I didn’t ask for that much!”  Of course at the time what I was asking for was much different than what God wanted to give me.  All I wanted was a little assistant job at a theatre company on Broadway.  This did not seem like a tall order considering I had just finished working for “The Lion King” on Broadway.  I thought my request was reasonable and why couldn’t God do it?  Well, He didn’t.  This closed door started me on the five-year waiting game I spoke of previously.  Why didn’t He do it?  I can speculate but I’m not one-hundred percent sure.  Does it matter? No, it doesn’t.  The bottom line is that He didn’t and He knows why and I must accept that. 

So, right now I am on an unknown path.  I know you all are wondering, “Well, she only has a few weeks left.  What will she do now?” The plain truth is that, I do not know yet.  I knew when I came to Missouri that God would not tell me until "the eleventh hour".  A friend of mine spoke that word and I knew it was true.  I mean five years of praying and 2 ½ of fasting and God decides to tell me what is next three weeks before it starts.  He is teaching me to trust Him and to hear His voice better.  IHOP has been a great training ground because when I hear something that I feel is from the Lord I can exercise it.  

The second part of this lesson, and most important, is the trust factor.  My trust has been really damaged within the past 2 ½ years.  I thought this was odd for someone whose life verse is Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  I was offended with God, I felt that He didn't know what to do with me so He put me in the corner and left me.  It was painful and I really had to work that out.  I'm still working it out.  I felt punished and I hadn’t done anything wrong.  He wasn’t punishing me, He hadn’t left me, but when you are hurt, broken and have been crying out for change for so long, it is easy to take offense in our humanness.  That is why God’s grace and mercy are so marvelous!  And why I couldn't be more grateful for this beautiful season He has given to me as a gift.  I'm so blessed and full of joy and gratitude!

Now even though I do not know what is next it doesn’t mean I am totally in the dark.  The Lord has given me little bits and pieces, but no through line.  So, I am still waiting for the clincher.  The thing I won’t see coming; the suddenly that I need to arise to make my next steps clear.  When I hear, you’ll hear. Habakkuk 2:3 (Amplified Bible) For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.(A)  

So, I continue to earnestly pray and seek him.  I covet your prayers for wisdom, discernment, and an increase in the heavenly realms.  I feel a fierce war is raging over this next step and Satan is wanting to stop it. 

A friend of mine was praying for me a few days ago and the Lord said to her, “She is on standby.”  My friend asked, “Who?”  And He said, “Ebony”.  Then she had a vision of me standing in an airport at the airline gate.  My bags were packed and I was ready to go but I was on standby waiting for my ticket.  Then she felt the Lord say that if He told me now I would do this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ioDIZMD_fU  Enjoy the clip! It’s nice to know that I make God laugh.  :-)

Laugh a lot!

-Eb

P.S.  "It's okay!  I'm a limo driver!"