Haste makes waste. My ankle and me relearned that this week.
My selfish hurry brought waste this week— of wealth, peace, health, and joy—to name a few.
Never in a Hurry
But the Lord is never in a hurry and forever on time, for he always has all things under control. That truth alone should be enough to calm my hurried heart.
Like Father, like son and daughter.
Haste, therefore, should not mark his children.
Making Haste
But two Sunday afternoons ago, I made haste. And haste makes waste.
As I type this Friday afternoon, I am—Lord willing— 30 minutes from a speaking at a Womens retreat in Washington State. I boarded a plane from Milwaukee this morning.
But Monday, I was doubting.
I envisioned a hospital bed instead.
Because haste made waste.
A Heel
I landed myself a quite painful and very ugly infection that stole my sleep. Despite prayer, saltwater soaks, and a wincing, breath-holding self-surgery, the redness spread and I could not bear to wear a shoe. I found myself at the doctor’s office.
The doctor commended me on my lancing, prescribed my second ever antibiotic, and sent me away.
But this drama was avoidable.
The Cost of 2 Minutes
I caused my infection because I was in haste.
You see, I was in such a hurry to fit in a quick walk between church and the next event of the day—and it was such a gorgeous sunny day—that I couldn’t take an extra two minutes, two—to go into the house and put on socks.
No, I needed those two precious minutes to walk.
And they cost me. The back of my ripped out tennie rubbed a blister into the back of my ankle and ignoring the pain, I walked on.
Then the blister that popped, and then this infection.
“Whoever believes will not be in haste.”
And Isaiah 28:16,
Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’”
You know how the Holy Spirit brings to mind the Scripture we know, for training, rebuke and correction, as fits the need?
Well, that little phrase at the end of Isaiah 28:16 he brought to mind this week.
Other Helpers Have I None
The context is so much broader than my little cellulitis and infection.
Briefly, God’s people in Judah were seeking military help with Egypt against their mighty Assyrian enemies. Just before this, in verse 15, God actually called it, “a covenant with death.”
The point was then, and is now, God’s people should trust their Almighty God to help them. They should not be in panic or haste to find other help.
Christ Jesus is our helper, a tested stone, and a precious cornerstone.
As as we trust in Christ we will not be put to shame, or in a panic, or making haste.
And in a delightful twist, guess what?
O LORD, Make Haste
We can still ask God to make haste for us. Psalm 40:13 is one example,
“Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!”
It’s the very same Hebrew word translated “haste” in Isaiah 28:16, ḥûš, and it’s used again and again in the Psalms (see also Psalms 22:19, 38:22, 55:8, 70:1, 71:12).
We ask God to hurry for us and we do it with trust, believing he will always be perfectly on time with his help.
I don’t always tie the bow, but on this one I will.
I’m finishing this post in the car traveling through the Cascades en route to the retreat.
My friend and her mom are speeding us on. We walked on down to these splendid Snoqualmie Falls.
And I didn’t even think of my heel. Or when I made haste and hurt myself.
Because God made haste to help me.
How great is the greatness of God!
