As an eighteen-year-old in my first year at university, I remember studying a play called Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett for our English course. I can still recall where I was sitting in the sloping lecture theatre, the day we all watched a live performance of this play. And I can well remember how confused and ignorant I felt. What was I missing? Did everyone else understand what was happening—or not happening?
I looked around and, to my relief, many others seemed bemused too. We were all wriggling in our seats. And we were bored, oh so bored, as we waited and waited for the person who seemed to be expected to turn up in the play. But even more, we were waiting for that performance to end! If nothing else, Samuel Beckett clearly conveyed to us the hopeless feeling we can get when we have to wait forever for something.
There are different sorts of waiting, it seems to me. I remember what it was like to wait for exam results at school and university. I would be filled with excitement as I anticipated those good marks for the subjects I loved. Yet I felt distinctly nervous at the prospect of seeing a big ‘F’ for ‘Fail’ beside those subjects I did not care for.
And I well remember waiting for our three children to be born, each one of them overdue by around a week. We were so excited to welcome them into the world. Would we have a boy or a girl? Who would they look like? Yet I dreaded the thought of those hours of labour that I knew awaited me. I was not looking forward to that, yet it was part of what needed to happen for the baby to arrive.
These various waiting experiences came to mind this past Easter as I read again what happened after Jesus was crucified.
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Luke 23:50-51
The phrase ‘waiting for the kingdom of God’ caught my attention. Joseph, it seems, was a just and godly man—but he was more than that too. John’s Gospel tells us he was actually ‘a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews.’ (John 19:38) Yet at this point, he found the courage to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body, along with Nicodemus, the Pharisee who had earlier visited Jesus at night. Joseph was looking for the coming Messiah. He was expectant. He was ready and waiting to believe and follow him. And, despite his fear and the danger he and Nicodemus might face from their fellow Jews, he acted, treating Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, with true dignity and reverence (19:39-42).
I wonder if that is how I am treating Jesus right now. Am I focussed on living for the Messiah who died for me? Am I filled with hope and expectancy, as I wait for that day when I will see him face to face?
I hope I, like Joseph of Arimathea, am waiting well for Jesus in a way that honours him.
Jo-Anne Berthelsen's Blog 
I totally agree with Marjan and the way she expressed how difficult waiting can be. And your comment rings true too Jo-Anne. I suppose waiting brings with it trust, faith and perseverance. Sometimes it’s just hard!!!
I love it when my friends interact with each other’s comments! And yes, I always appreciate Marjan’s thoughts–and yours too, Janelle. I agree it’s so hard at times to keep on trusting and persevering, as we wait for things to change or for something to happen in our lives or in the lives of our family and friends or whatever. I guess it’s hard to feel helpless and unable to control things–we’re not used to that. But how blessed we are that we can look to God for the strength and hope we need and know God is right there beside us too as we wait. I am reminded too of Psalm 27:14: ‘Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.’ God bless, Janelle!
Thanks Jo-Anne. I think I needed the reminder to wait well. 😩
Yes, waiting is a big part of life. I hope I too am waiting for Jesus and living according to a phrase He often impresses on me, ‘Be ready’. Btw ,I also watched Waiting for Godot at uni but we studied The Birthday Party, in those absurdist plays.
Thanks for your reminder to wait well.
Wow, yes, that’s a challenging phrase but an important one to remember, isn’t it–‘Be ready!’ I’m so glad we don’t have to perform though to be ready or acceptable to God but that it’s all about grace. What a day that will be for us all!
And re those plays at uni, we didn’t study ‘The Birthday Party’–thankfully! I think ‘Waiting for Godot’ was enough for me. But I often think I did not do my English course at uni justice as a naive eighteen-year-old–I have often wished I could go back and do it all over again!