“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

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About the time in life when most people were thinking ahead to retirement, my parents adopted two teenage boys from Vietnam. Scarred by the events in their early lives, my brothers came to our family with many emotional wounds, and life around home was not always smooth and harmonious as they tried to adjust to a completely new way of life. A conservative Christian home seemed confining, and at times they rebelled. While some people would have become discouraged and perhaps wondered why they had ever taken such a drastic step at their age, Mom and Dad never wavered in their assurance that they were following God’s leading.

In this situation and in many others where problems were unresolved and prayers seemingly were unanswered, my dad’s comment was often, “The last chapter isn’t written yet.” He had faith that God was still at work, and my mom did too.

I find myself quoting Dad’s statement quite often these days. There is an undercurrent of faith and hope woven through those simple words. God isn’t done. He does hear my prayers. He is still working, though perhaps behind the scenes. The picture could be entirely different around the next bend.

Sometimes Dad would quote today’s focus verse, and would reflect upon the fact that waiting for God’s answer was not always easy. Still, my parents’ attitude taught me that waiting upon the Lord is not a frustrated “grit your teeth and hang on” mentality. Rather, it is a restful confidence that God is in control.

Are you waiting for an answer to prayer today? Do not give up! God has not forgotten your petition, and in His time the answer will come.