Even If it Takes Twenty Years.

At the end of twenty years… – 1 Kings 9.10

It took twenty years for Solomon to complete the temple and his palace. 

Twenty years. 

Seven years to build the temple. Thirteen years to build his palace. 

The thought that came to mind was this: am I in it for the long haul? In a fast-paced world that is dedicated to and reliant upon the immediate, am I willing and able to stroll with the Lord and see the completed work come to fruition no matter how long it takes? God does not rush or run. He’s not rushed by anyone or in a hurry to get somewhere because he’s late. And what he starts and finishes (Philippians 1.6). He is patient and enduring. He is faithful and true. He is long-suffering and dedicated, committed and in covenant relationship with us. He is in it with us for the long haul.

But am I these things? 

Am I willing to stay the course and go at the pace of the Lord instead of needing immediate or quick experiences that stroke my ego but leave my soul empty? Am I committed to working out my salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2.12) for the rest of my life, or do I expect immediate ”microwaved” change? You see, there’s a problem with microwaved change: it’s not change at all.  It’s a counterfeit change that is shallow and feeble because it is not built on the foundation of character. And character isn’t learned from quick fixes but rather through “a long obedience in the same direction” (Eugene Peterson). Character comes through our seasons of suffering, teaching us faithful endurance. Those lessons in endurance are what build in us proven character. And when character is proven within us, that character births in us hope (Romans 5.3-4).

So, I return to that question that came to my mind at the beginning of this post: am I in it for the long haul? If I had written this blog post twenty years ago, I think I would have quickly said yes because I would have believed that I was already doing it (it’s weird how pride can blind us to reality). But my life with the Lord twenty years ago was much too fast, not because he was running at a frantic pace but because I was. Twenty years later? I can say that I am so grateful for the work that God has done in me. Learning to stroll with the Lord at his pace has introduced me to the rest that Jesus promises us (Matthew 11.28-30). Have I completed my journey as a follower of Jesus? Absolutely not. My journey with the Lord never stops. But I am in it for the long haul. O, how great it is to be in it with the Lord for the long haul.

What a difference twenty years makes! Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness to us.