Wait Here

         

     

            Some time ago, an intriguing sign hung in my local post office. Whenever I stopped by for postal service, the sign arrested my attention. Simple and to the point, it read:

Wait here until you are called.

 I’m sure that the person who hung that sign meant for the line of patrons to stop at that point and respect the persons receiving help. No one should crowd up to the counter, intrude, interrupt, or disrupt service in progress. Even though I knew that, my mind went somewhere else entirely.

While waiting my turn, I thought about how, after I accepted Christ’s death on my behalf, he left me here. He left me. He didn’t say, “You’ve got it. Come on home.” He said, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, KJV).  Occupy—it’s rather like the sign in the post office, isn’t it? You might say, “No, waiting’s not the same as occupying.” You might have a point. If waiting is about just sitting and daydreaming, twiddling your thumbs, mindlessly watching TV in an office waiting room, then waiting and occupying are certainly not the same thing.

If, however, waiting is anticipating, being alert to which window will be available next, for example, then waiting and occupying are at least cousins. To me waiting a can be very active, full of activity and plans. Occupying is full of activity as well.

            What is mine and yours to occupy?  Do I simply fill space? What does it mean to occupy?  The most relevant definition for occupy is to take possession of a place or area. For the servants who were given money to invest (Luke 19: 11-27) it meant growing the money, investing, and getting the best return on the amount.

            God has given me much to occupy.  There are financial investments to make—to wisely care for things here on earth but also to invest in what concerns the heart of God and what will enlarge his Kingdom. Where can I get the biggest “bang” for my buck? Where and how do I want to see the Best News of the Gospel spread like fire? Where are my talents being used? Are they gathering dust? Am I too self-conscious to step out and use what God has given me? Sometimes. That’s unacceptable; I’m to occupy. My home, my relationships, my sphere of influence all need to pass inspection by the command to occupy.

            Jesus left us the perfect example. He was always about the Father’s business. Some of my investments need tweaking from time to time. Even though that little sign is no longer in the post office, the words I so often read stick in my mind and so does the command of Jesus.  Wait, occupy till I come.

How are you occupying? How are your investments growing for the Kingdom? Let me know.