The Blessing of Waiting

I had wanted to make this purchase sooner – the pansies for my flower boxes, but somehow whenever I was in town, going to Lowe’s was out of the way.  Finally last Saturday I got up early and made a trip there with the express purpose of brightening up the winter look of the window boxes out front.  As I neared the landscape area, I scanned the flowers and saw only summer varieties for those brave enough to set them out before the usual “Mother’s Day safety zone.”  I made my way over to a sales clerk and inquired if I was too late for pansies.  “There are some over in the side lot where all the ‘destressed’ plants are.”  As I made my way over, I had to chuckle when I saw the sign, “Destressed Plants.”  The word destress means to place strain or stress on something.  I had thought she meant distressed, signifying that the plants suffered from the weather, etc.  At any rate, these plants were all marked to $1!  In your mind’s eye, you’re probably seeing brown wilting leaves and pathetic stems, but these weren’t like that at all!    Here’s one of the pots I bought…

I happily found six of these lovely plants and put them in my cart, along with two lovely Dianthuses.  I remembered as I drove home that last fall I purchased several plants at the end of the season for $1 – a couple Clematis, and a rose bush – all which are blooming happily in my yard today!  Then this thought came to my mind – Waiting can turn out to be a blessing!  However, waiting on the Lord is always a blessing!

This truth was certainly true in Joseph’s life!  In Genesis 39, Potiphar’s wife tries for days to cause Joseph to fall into an immoral affair with her, but he refused her.  Here is a young man who could’ve had a little “fling” but said “no.”  He waited for God’s plan, for God’s choice of a wife, and for God’s purpose in marriage.  If you’re familiar with the story, you’ll remember that Pharoh brought him out of prison after two years, and because Joseph interpreted his dream, he promoted him as the second ruler in Egypt.  Verse 45of chapter 41 says, And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On.   Joseph married – as a matter of fact, he married the preacher’s daughter!  =)   I’m sure she was a blessing to Joseph as he ruled over Egypt.

It’s always the right thing to wait on God’s best!  God has a perfect plan that He will fulfill.  He did it in Joseph’s life, and He’ll do it in yours, too.  Just wait and see what blooms!

With love,