This happens too often, and it’s frustrating.

A fellow who reads this blog emailed to say, “I’ve been asked to serve on an ordination council.”  He asked a couple of questions, then said, “What would be some good questions for me to ask the candidate?”  I replied at length, then hit “send.”  A few minutes later, my email was returned to me.  “Undeliverable,” said the message.

I resent the message.  Same thing happened.

Arghhh.  What to do now?

Mostly, when this happens–and as I say, it occurs more often than one might expect–I keep trying to resend it or I might put a message on our website in hope the person will see it.

If he doesn’t, what will he think?  Either that I did not get his email or  received it but did not reply, both of which are wrong.

Is this like unanswered prayer, I wonder?

You pray and pray and wait for an answer that never seems to come.  Did God’s answer to you get bounced?  Was it returned to Heaven as “undeliverable?” Did God keep trying to get through but His server–whoever and whatever that is!–failed? (No, I don’t think that’s the problem.)

Maybe the difficult is with me, on my end.  Maybe I need a visit from Heaven’s Geek Squad.

Two thoughts…

One.  If you email me and I never respond, please do not assume that I did not receive it or chose not to answer.  Please try again.

It’s not only the U. S. Postal Service which has a dead letter office.

And two.  

Keep praying.  Keep your requests before Him.  Keep asking.  And keep waiting.

Stay faithful.

And stay by the phone, so to speak.

I love the opening of Psalm 40 and long ago committed it to memory (which I am urging you to do also)….

“I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of the miry clay and set my feet on a solid rock and made my footsteps firm.  Many will see and hear and will trust the Lord.”

The Psalmist said, “I was waiting, but I was crying.”  That’s me sometimes.  You too?  Apparently, it’s all right to both cry and wait.

Waiting in the biblical sense is more than taking a seat and leafing through a year-old magazine, such as you might do in the waiting room for your dentist or doctor.  Waiting on the Lord is more like the waiter in the restaurant.  In that context, “waiting” means they are working. Serving.  Doing their jobs. Non-stop.  Taking orders, feeding people, cleaning tables, pleasing the boss.

Perseverance and endurance are great virtues of the Christian life, commended all through Scripture.