Do you feel as if you're waiting to live your best life? Waiting to leap onto the stage of life and having your moment in the spotlight that you have prepared for. If you have, if this is you, then you are in good company. Abraham waited 25 years from the time of the promise for the birth of Isaac.
Moses spent 40 years in the back of Burke in the desert. Gideon waited seven years while the enemy destroyed the land and the crops and placed the people of God in terrible circumstances. Elisha waited and followed around after Elijah until the time of Elijah's departure came and then he received his double portion. David waited patiently with the herd of sheep until the time of facing Goliath.
Even Jesus had to wait in the wings. At 12 years old, it says in Luke 2, verse 46 to 52, then after three days they found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking him questions and all who heard were amazed. Let's go down to let me see verse 49. He says to his parents, why are you even looking for me?
I must be about my father's business. But they did not understand the statement which he had made to them. And he went back with them to Nazareth and he continued in subjection to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart and Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.
His first miracle really wasn't in his timing. He knew he was still waiting in the wings, so to speak. On the third day there was a wedding in the in Kaina of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. She was invited.
He came to say, guest now, but Jesus and his disciples were also invited. And when they ran out of wine, his mother said to him, well, they have no wine. And Jesus said, what does this have to do with me? Mom, it's not my time yet.
My hour has not yet come. And then she says, don't worry about that. Just do what he says. Servants, just do what he says.
He's Jesus waiting in the wings. What does it mean? I've always been intrigued about that. You know, we love musical theater.
We love the idea of the stage. And just that thought waiting in the wings. What does it mean? Well, if you're waiting in the wings, you're ready to take over a role or a position when you have the chance to do so.
It is theatrical in nature, but has so many applications in all facets of life. In the theater, the stage is in the center and the areas out of you to the audience are called the wings. And that's where the company, where the performers, where the sound people, where the directors, where the producers, where the line callers, that's where there is just as much bustle of activity behind the scenes in the wings as on the stage. And actor or actress must be ready on cue to move from the wings of the stage to the stage itself, where they are needed in the act or the performance.
To be waiting in the wings means that one must be ready and prepared to do something when they are needed. But waiting in the wings is not the same as being in the waiting room. They're both to do with waiting. See, when you're waiting in the wings, you are prepared.
You are rehearsed. You are ready. You are anticipating when it is your turn to move forward. You are looking for your cue.
You're engaged. You know what's happening on that stage. You know what's happening behind you. You know what comes next.
You're a part of the show. You are important. And actor or dancer is completely prepared for their moment on stage. They are watching what is happening and they know exactly when it is their time.
Before David faced Goliath, he protected the sheep from lions and bears. When it was his time, he had the confidence to come before King Saul and Goliath. Before Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he lived in the desert for 40 years. Hmm.
The Israelites were also in the desert for 40 years. When it was his time, he went head to head with Pharaoh. Before Abraham became the father of nations, he had no natural air for 100 years. Before Noah had even seen or experienced rain, he built an ark to prepare for a flood.
Although it is dark in the wings and you almost feel alone, there is comfort in knowing that the company or your colleagues, your fellow performers are also waiting for their own moments. It's in this place between preparation and spotlight that you breathe, that you steady yourself and anticipate when to go on. Isaiah 40 verse 31 says, but those who wait upon God get fresh strength, breathing before your moment. They spread their wings and saw wings and saw like eagles.
They run and don't get tired. They walk and don't lag behind. Take that moment to breathe, wait on him. In the waiting room, another form of waiting, however, when you're in a waiting room, you're inactive, you're passive, you're unsure, you're inferior, you're just a number, and you're at someone else's convenience.
You see, when you're waiting for the doctor, you can't just go up to the door and say, I'm here, I'm ready. You have to wait when he is ready to see you or she is ready to see you. And you just sit there waiting for your name to be called. You watch other people get called before you.
How many of us feel that this is a reflection of life? We know we have an appointment. We know we have a purpose. We know we have a promise, but we are waiting for our name to be called.
We're waiting for someone to notice us. We're waiting for a leader to say, hey, it's your turn. It's a different form of waiting. But God is preparing you.
He's giving you opportunities to find your purpose, to rehearse, to look for your script. He's placed you in company, in a church, in a life group, to support you and to help you. But it's up to you. It's up to all of us to take the time to find out exactly what that purpose is.
You see, I can't tell you what your purpose is. Pass the book. I can't tell me what my purpose is and so on. It is up to you to find out what that is.
Meditate on his word for you. Memorize his word for you just as an actor has to memorize their script and knowing what their part is. Just as a dancer has to memorize each and every movement where to put their foot, they have to do that for themselves. Psalms 27 verse 13 to 14.
I believe that I should look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord.
The Hebrew, wait in the weight of the weight on the Lord means bind together. So that word, wait in Hebrew in that particular context means bind together. And it is that to which one's attention is bound. So your attention is bound on him.
You are memorizing what he has for you. Bind yourself to him. Romans 12 to don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Memorize a new way of thinking.
Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. I have a story here. I won't say who it is. A struggling actor in every definition of the word.
At one point was so broke that he stole his wife's jewelry and sold it. And he ended up homeless. Yes, he slept at the New York bus station for three days, unable to pay rent or afford food. His lowest point came when he tried to sell his dog at the liquor store to any stranger.
He didn't even have the money to feed his dog anymore. And he sold his best friend for $25. He actually says that he walked away crying. Two weeks later, he saw a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wettner.
And that match gave him the inspiration to write a script. He wrote the script for 20 hours. He just wrote and wrote and wrote, inspired. He had a purpose.
He tried to sell it and got an offer of $125,000 just for the script, but he had one request. He wanted to star in the movie. He wanted to be the main actor, but the studio said no. They wanted a real star.
They said he looked funny and talked funny. And so he left with his script. He was not going to be in that waiting room. A few weeks later, the studio offered him $250,000 for that script.
He refused. They even offered $350,000. He's still refused. They wanted his movie, but not him.
And he said no. His purpose was he needed to be in that movie, the movie that he wrote. After a while, the studio agreed and gave him $35,000 for the script and let him star in it. And the rest is history.
The movie won Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Film. Editing at the prestigious Oscar Awards. He was even nominated for Best Actor. The movie Rocky was even inducted into the American National Film Registry as one of the greatest movies ever.
And do you know the first thing he bought with that $35,000? The dog he sold. Yes, Sly Stallone loved his dog so much that he stood at the liquor store for three days. Waiting for the man he sold his dog to.
And on the third day, oh, on the third day, he saw the man coming with the dog. Stallone explained why he sold the dog and begged for the dog back. The man refused. Stallone offered him $100.
The man refused. He offered him $500. And he still refused. Yes, he even refused $1,000 for the dog that he just paid $25,000 for.
Stallone had to pay $15,000 for his dog that he sold for $25 just weeks before. Today, his net worth is $400 million. He is Sylvester Stallone. He chose not to just wait in the waiting room, wondering when his name was going to be called, wondering when they were going to say, yes, yes, yes.
He knew his purpose. He had his script and he was like, I'm waiting in the wings until it's my turn. And boy, was it his turn. God desires to bring you honor.
He desires to have himself glorified through you, through the purpose that he has designed in your life and the circumstances in your life to bring that purpose to the spotlight. It's time to anticipate your next move, your next line, your next scene. Remember, this is not a solo act. We are all part of the performance.
We all have a role to play. We are all part of the body of Christ, all with our own unique job to do. Each one as important as an end is intentional as the next. You are intentional.
You have a role to play. All you have to do is just find your purpose, stick to it, memorize it, commit it to your heart. And when your time is coming, you will know and step into the spotlight. Die for it.