‘Just stay here in the van. We’ll go and talk to them. Then we will come back to you. Pray for us and if you run out of things to pray just go to sleep.’
Those were the instructions. They forgot to mention that after you pray all you can think to pray and you aren’t sleepy there is the in between time when your mind starts to be bombarded with all the possibilities of things that could happen to them and to you! Then you are wide awake.
I don’t know exactly where it was but I think it was Hungary in the summer of 1985. We had smuggled all kinds of Christian literature, including Bibles across the border in hidden compartments. There were 3 of us and my job was to wait in the van while the other 2 ‘made contact’ with some believers and hopefully they would be willing and eager to receive what we brought.
This was a summer experience for me. There would be more situations like this in the following years. But whenever the subject of waiting comes up this is the one I think of. I can see myself sitting in that van in the dark trying to pray and starting to worry. I can actually see in my mind’s eye the curb and corner of the street where we were parked.
Why was it taking so long? Ok, I know that answer, they’ve probably been invited in for a meal. Is there anything I can do? No, stay in the van. What if someone sees me here and wants to speak to me? What if they call the police?
Thankfully just as clear a memory is the one of my two colleagues waking me up. At some point I fell asleep. I actually think God put me to sleep! And I’m thankful that in the instructions I was given, sleep was assumed. They knew that there was no way to gauge how long it would take. If no one was home, they would be back straight away. If not, 2 hours could easily turn to 3. My experience and prayer stamina at that point would be exhausted. Sleep was a better option than worry.
I’m sure it’s common to have a ‘waiting’ experience that is linked to stress, worry and danger. Those times the bus doesn’t come or the friend doesn’t show up at the agreed time. Where does your mind wander when the next step has been delayed? How long is your tolerance level? Maybe it’s not time that is the instigator. Maybe it’s money or clarity or healing you are waiting for.
How long? How long until you hand it over to God and ‘fall asleep’ in the waiting room?
Ps 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
