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The Pastoral Lens
Worth the Wait
Tuesday, November 12, 2002
A number of years ago, there was a commercial on television for Heinz ketchup. It showed a boy sitting at a lunch counter behind a plate of food. In his hand was a bottle of Heinz ketchup. The little boy was trying to coax the ketchup out of the bottle and on to his food. The look on his face showed dogged determination while a cute tune echoed the commercial's theme song, "anticipation, it's makin' me wait." The whole point of the commercial was to convince the viewer that this boy's food was only worth eating if he could pour some Heinz ketchup on it. Judging by the way most kids treat ketchup, I'd have to say that Heinz' advertising campaign was a huge success!I have discovered that the best things in life are worth waiting for, no matter how long the waiting period lasts. I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part it's true. We are not a nation of people who enjoy waiting. We are a society of drive-through restaurants, automated banking machines, and microwave ovens. Thanks to the instant services of e-mail, regular postal service is now referred to as "snail mail." Even bachelors' and masters' degrees can be obtained quickly with just a few clicks of the mouse and a credit card number. Nevertheless, there are still certain things that won't be rushed. Take pregnancy, for example. My gender clearly gives me away as a novice when it comes to describing the whole gestation process, yet I do have a few insights to offer from my "spectator status" of a dad in the birthing room.
My wife and I just welcomed our fifth child into the world on Nov. 8. In some ways, it is hard to believe that 41 weeks, or just over 9 months, have gone by. In other ways it seemed as if this day would never come. Some babies arrive early, and some late, but most land somewhere around the 9-month mark.
The Lord, the Creator of the whole earth, decreed a 9-month stretch for the gestation period for the human being. Different aspects of the body develop through that time frame. It is fascinating to consider the work of God's hand in all of this. The birth of each of my children was an awesome experience for me. Being a first-time dad in 1992 was a truly unique experience, and quite overwhelming, but being a five-time dad was also very incredible. No 2 children are alike. I am an identical twin and my brother and I are so similar in many ways. However, we are also poles apart in many areas, not only physically (he's bigger) but also in personality.
God has made each person unique and special. Consider what the Bible says in Psalm 139: 13-16: "For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my motherís womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made......My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
We are the apple of God's eye, the very special work of His creative hand. The gift of my newborn son was definitely worth the wait. Take some time today to thank God for your parents, your children, and other family. They are special to you and they are special to the Lord.
