14 Hours
Time? My day started about 5 am.
Location? South Korea.
I got ready and headed for the subway station. 5:20 am. I hopped on the subway and started off. 3 hour ride. Estimated arrival time? 8 a.m. When I walked out of the subway terminal, it began to rain. I went back inside and bought a $10 umbrella. I pulled out my umbrella, waited for the bus for about 5 minutes, rode for about 10 minutes and got off in front of an all-girls high school. As I closed my eyes listening to the sound of the rain falling above me, I wondered.
“What am I doing? How long has it been?”
3 hours and counting. Ok, 3 hours. Seeing me stand in front of an all-girls high school, you might be wondering, “uh…Tim, why...?”
Well you see, I wanted to see my girlfriend after an argument we had the night before. She refused to talk to me and turned off all means of communcation, and being the stubborn guy I am, I decided to cancel all my plans for that day just to see her. As the weather started to intensify, my cheap $10 umbrella was no match to the wind and rain. But that didn't stop me. I just stood there, waiting.
I couldn't go in and talk to her, she was in class. I couldn't call her because her phone was off. All I could do was wait. People passed by me and looked at me like I was stupid. I could hear people say things like, "Is that guy crazy?" "Is he lost?" But I didn't care. I continued to stand and wait. I had a goal: I needed to see her. I forgot about eating, it was the last thing on my mind. I didn't care about the phone calls I was missing. I didn't care about anything. I stood there like a fool, just waiting.
I stood in front of her school for almost 14 hours only to talk to her for about 30 minutes. I had to catch the subway home, i didn't have a choice. If I missed the subway, I would either have to take a taxi home, which was pretty much traveling to the other side of the city, or wait till 5 in the morning to catch the first subway. Most, if not all of you are probably thinking. "Tim... What in the world were you thinking? You must have been insane!"
And yes, I agree. Totally insane.
During this whole ordeal, I slowed down and stopped everything. My social needs were put away, my physical needs were ignored, and my mind was drained. I sacrificed everything just to talk to this chick. Even though it was only for 30 minutes. Why would I even wait that long to talk with her for 30 minutes? 14 hours of waiting just for 30 minutes of talk? That's not the best bargain in town.
But there's a lesson I want to share and it's actually really simple.
We need to be able and willing to sacrifice everything we've got, to stand and wait in the rain, to ignore the harsh words of the passing people; just so that we can be with Him. Even if it means 14 hours of being alone, for just 30 minutes together. Even if it's just a moment... we have got to do anything and everything just to be with our Lord, the true love of our lives.
But wait! There's another lesson!
I think of my spiritual walk with God in a very similar way. Throughout my busy lifestyle and world, God waits for me. Patiently.
And God's waiting for you. He's that guy standing in the rain for 14 hours trying to get a moment with you while you're busy with work, school, or play and have your phone turned off. He's the guy that everyone's passing by thinking He's crazy or weird, but He doesn't care about that. He ignores it because all He wants to see is you. God is truly a patient and loving God. He gave up everything, even His son, just for you.
2 Peter 3:8-9
“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
God is patient. He wants to come into our lives. We just need to open our ears and hearts. Slow down in the world we live in because He's waiting in the rain and wind, waiting 14 hours, for you and me.
Timothy Yun is currently a missionary at Harbert Hills Academy working as an Assistant Boy's Dean and teacher. Before going to Harbert Hills Academy, He's worked as the Youth Leader at the Anchorage Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church in Alaska.