說到等待，菲爾．斯金格（Phil Stringer）可是等了足足18小時才登上因雷雨而延誤的航班。但他的耐心和毅力得到回報，他不僅能及時飛抵目的地去參加重要的商務會議，而且還是該航班唯一的乘客！因別的乘客全都取消訂位，或做其他的安排。斯金格說空服員讓他任選餐點，還說：「當然，我選擇坐在最前排，當你可以獨享整架飛機的時候，為什麼不好好享受呢？」這樣的結果絕對值得等待！

亞伯拉罕也曾經歷過漫長的等待。早在他還名叫亞伯蘭時，上帝就告訴他：「我必叫你成為大國」，並且「地上的萬族都要因你得福」（創世記12章2-3節）。那時，亞伯蘭這75歲的老人（4節），只有一個疑問﹕如果沒有繼承人，他如何成為一個大國？雖然他在等待應許實現期間犯了一些錯誤（他與妻子撒萊試圖用一些錯誤的方法來「幫助」上帝實現祂的應許，見15章2-3節，16章1-2節），但他在一百歲的時候，還是等到了上帝所賜的兒子以撒（21章5節）。後來，希伯來書的作者也讚揚亞伯拉罕的信心（希伯來書11章8-12節）。

等待是艱難的，就像亞伯拉罕一樣，我們在等待中可能也會犯錯。但當我們向上帝祈求，並信賴祂的計劃，祂會幫助我們繼續忍耐等候。上帝的計劃是值得等待的。

Talk about a layover. Phil Stringer waited eighteen hours to board a flight that was delayed due to thunderstorms. His patience and perseverance paid off, however. Not only did he get to fly to his destination and make it on time for important business meetings, but he was also the only traveler on the flight! All the other passengers gave up or made other arrangements. Flight attendants gave him whatever food items he desired, and Stringer adds, “I did sit in the front row, of course. Why not when you have the whole plane to yourself?” The outcome was definitely worth the wait.

Abraham also endured what must have felt like a lengthy delay. Way back when he was known as Abram, God told him that He would make him “into a great nation” and that “all peoples on earth [would] be blessed through” him (Genesis 12:2-3). Only one problem for the seventy-five-year-old man (v. 4): how could he become a great nation without an heir? His waiting was left wanting at times, however. He and wife Sarai tried to “help” God fulfill His promise with some misguided ideas (see 15:2-3; 16:1-2). And when he “was a hundred years old . . . Isaac was born to him” (21:5). His faith was later celebrated by the writer of Hebrews (11:8-12).Waiting can be hard. And, like Abraham, we might not do it perfectly. But as we pray and rest in God’s plans, may He help us persevere. In Him, it’s always worth the wait.