Waiting on the Promise

An Audience Of One

Jean Bundas

…So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (I Samuel 3:9-10)

Have you ever heard the voice of the Holy Spirit so clearly, only to wait for what seems an eternity without seeing that word fulfilled? This can be a hard place. Discouragement and doubt begin to set in. You feel like giving up on that dream or promise.

That is where I found myself as I sat in the small bedroom in an orphanage in Romania. I was on a missions trip with a small group from my church. We were helping out at a privately owned Christian orphanage. For years, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me I would minister to women through song. Yet those doors did not seem to open.

I looked around the room. No carpets or beautiful pictures on the walls, just two mattresses lying side by side on the floor. The cold cement floor and dim lighting echoed the emptiness in my soul.

“Father, if you would just show me a sign, if you would just somehow confirm that I am to minister to women…”

I reached over to the tape player and popped in a cassette. As I closed my eyes, the music filled my heart and I began to sing. It was just Him and me. No one else mattered. The empty room created an artist’s acoustical dream. I became lost in His presence.

Suddenly, I sensed another presence in the room.

My eyes flew open and my head jerked toward the door. In the corner of the room sat a middle-aged Romanian woman.

“Please, I listen?” She didn’t attempt to get up from her cross-legged position on the floor. She looked up at me, her brown eyes large and pleading, her face flushed in embarrassment.

Immediately, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart: “I have heard your cries and sent you a sign.”

I smiled as I thought about the goodness of the Lord. He meets us right where we are.

I looked over at my new friend and nodded my head. “Please stay.”

“You sing now?” she asked.

“Yes, I sing now.” I pushed the play button on the recorder, closed my eyes, and began to minister to an audience of one.

Heavenly Father, I know You hear the cry of our hearts to be used of You. Help us not to grow impatient as You develop our character and heart. Cause us not to despise small beginnings or miss opportunities because we lose focus. Help us to hear and be obedient to Your voice. Thank You for Divine appointments! Amen.

Is there a dream God has placed on your heart? Have you grown weary or discouraged waiting for that dream to happen? Ask Him to fan the flame within you and renew that passion. Pray for Divine appointments. Most of all, despise not small beginnings. Sometimes, we are so busy looking for His hand to move a certain way that we miss His voice whispering in our ear. What is He saying to you today?