In other ways, however, the past seven days differ greatly from our first week last year. We are now able to meet basic needs such as buying groceries, doing laundry, securing potable water, and getting a good's night sleep with (relative) ease. We praise the Eternal One that unlike a year ago, when we spent almost all of our energy just feeding and clothing ourselves, we have abundant spare time on our hands.
While I am grateful for the opportunity to rest and relax, I must admit that I do not handle unstructured time very well. As many of you know, I have a very meticulous, "type A" personality that prefers schedules and habit. I am an assertive and active American who wants to stay busy and involved in myriad activities. I shouldn't be surprised, therefore, that the One Above has called us to sit. And wait.
This active waiting began earlier this summer, when Brian and I encountered opportunities in Shanghai that clearly felt like divine appointments. We checked our email obsessively and repeatedly every day, confidently expecting the long-coveted job offer. We've had many experiences of supernatural response the past few months that have not only confirmed the Triune Presence, but have also strengthened our faith. Yet the job offers for both of us lie just outside of our reach.
I have felt more solidarity with the first generation of disciples, who earnestly believed that Our Savior would return before they died. Paul himself asserted this belief in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, clearly counting himself among those who would still be alive when the Lord returned. Indeed, the Nazarene Carpenter promised that "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place"(Matthew 24:34). We all know, however, that the faithful have already waited two thousand years for the promised return, and are still waiting.
How do we respond to this prolonged delay? Some have given up any hope of a return, merely getting whatever temporary pleasures they can out of this life. Others withdraw completely from civil society, pouring themselves over the Scriptures to find a secret clue, screaming "here it is!" or "there it is!"
I imagine the best response is another one, of faithfully carrying out the daily tasks that Heaven has put before us: loving our neighbors, gathering in worship, and being a steadfast example to those around us. I know on one level that a few months is nothing compared to 2000+ years. Indeed, "a thousand years in [Heaven's] sight are like a day that has just gone by"(Psalm 90:4). The One Above stands outside and beyond time. When we who live in time cannot see what is ahead, we cling to the confidence we have: we remember other prayers that have been answered, as well as the testimonies of those who have gone before us. For better or for worse, I remind myself that this is the definition of faith.