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During today's Christmas week conversation on Back Porch Theology, we're talking about the unlikely gift of waiting.

Now, if you're anything like me and you got the gift of waiting this season, your first reaction would be to hope it came with a receipt

so you could return it. It's taken me a really long time, no pun intended, but I'm finally learning

that when God authors a pause in my story, there's redemptive purpose in it. Ancient theologian and

beloved pastor, Charles Spurgeon explained it

much better than I can. He said this, if the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole

hearts. For blessed are all they that wait for him he is worth waiting for. The waiting itself has beneficial to us. It tries faith,

exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord's people

have always been awaiting people. It may initially appear to be wishful thinking, if not downright rude and intrusive, to emphasize

slowness during this week of Christmas, which all too often is filled with more frenzy than

figgy pudding, especially when those gifts we ordered on Amazon Prime still have it shown up.

Yet the relatives we didn't order do show up, but to quote a dear friend

and beloved pastor from our modern era, Stephen Ferdick, the only thing harder than waiting on God

is wishing that you had. So please step away from the scissors and the scotch tape and the

wrapping paper. Put the pot on simmer,

dial the pace of your elliptical down to meander, and come exhale on the porch with

Allie, Dr. Howard, and me. We're so grateful that hanging out with y'all has become part of our

holiday tradition.

Hey, hey, back porches.

It's Allison Allen, the spiritual wingwoman to Lisa Harper for Back Porch Theology.

And we want to say, one, two, three, Merry Christmas!

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