Am I waiting for God to start my life?
I’ll be honest, I have never even seen/read the play “Waiting For Godot”. I’ll be more honest, my introduction to this play was from the Movie “Waiting for Guffman”. That movie was made by the guys who made, “This is Spinal Tap”, which is an all time favorite movie.
But, Spinal Tap is for another day, and drummer mysteries for another blog.
The play, “Waiting For Godot” focuses on two characters who meet up by a tree with no leaves ( so dramatic with the no leaves tree) to wait for this character named “Godot”. As they are waiting, they talk about life and morality, blah-blah-blah and blah…… classic play stuff. A lot of metaphors, similes, and political symbolism. The author writes about himself in a cryptic way through the eyes of a character. Ya know, run of the mil, classic play.
But this idea always stuck with me.. People waiting around for someone to show up, or something to happen. It’s such a good way to get people talking, or at least for me.
Full Disclosure: I am one of those people that talk on lines. If you ever see me, and don’t want to talk? Run. Because I am coming for your day, shirt, and whatever you’re buying.
I fade right into major Dad energy when I am in a line. I got jokes, I got puns, I got an eye that is looking to lock with someone else’s, so we can get some people laughing, and annoy some other silent objectors.
So how does all this waiting connect together? Often, I think about how common it is to just be waiting on someone- waiting to get picked up, waiting for a meeting to start, or even waiting for my life to start.
No one ever really gave me permission to “start life”. I realized that life is happening and there is no “a-ha moment” of it FINALLY starting.
Same principle goes for my spiritual life. There are many times I am waiting, for a later time to really take my spiritual life seriously.
Sometimes, I put my own timeline on God’s will for me: “Once I get this job, then i can really get living”, “Once I have more money, then I can start to tithe”, “Just a little bit longer, then I will consider how God wants me to live my life”.
It can be so easy to be standing around, waiting for God to rev up the engine of my life.
But, God is constantly carving out time, and can fit me in 24 hours a day. I AM the one who has to make time, and answer the door. And, that door is open 24/7.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” Revelation 3:20
This verse is powerful. Jesus is knocking on my door. And it’s up to me to take action.
I’m reminded that all prayer is a RESPONSE to an invitation. I heard that in a Fr Mike Schmitz video, and it really struck me.
It struck me because I think of moments in my life when I was just waiting. Waiting for my life to magically become better, or waiting for my prayer life to appear out of nowhere!
I’m the one doing the waiting, and God is still there inviting me, drawing me deeper.
So, back to this play y’all.
What is really just perfect about the play is…. SPOILER ALERT!!
Godot never shows up!!
These 2 dudes are sitting and talking about life, and he never shows… Super ambiguous, No Country for Old Men type ending. Play ends. No Godot.
But for us who follow God, we never have to worry about our guy not showing up. He is the one doing the inviting!! Invitation has been sent, RSVP reminder every single day. And when I show up to the party, he opens the door right as I’m about to knock on it. He’s. Been. Waiting. For. Me.
So I try to tell myself – I don’t want to be sitting around a leafless tree waiting for my life to start. I don’t want to ask, “Am I waiting for God”? I want to accept the invitation from God that He sends everyday, and stop waiting.
