Wait  for the LORD;  be strong and take heart  and  wait  for the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

 Waiting has never been one of my favorite pastimes. Those things that I watch for, the blessings for which I pray, the people that enter my mind often, these can fill me with longing. But as a child of God I wait for the Lord because God’s people are patient people. They have lived through times of waiting only to experience again God’s gracious hand lavishing blessings more glorious than could have been imagined.

 That describes the groundbreaking event on the MLC campus on May 16, 2008. God’s people had waited for a dedicated space of worship for 124 years. These were not idle years of longing however. The students on this campus were busy learning from God’s word in Aula (now the Music Hall) and auditorium and in classrooms and convocations as they trained to be workers for His harvest fields.

 And during that time, God moved the hearts of his people to provide a dedicated worship facility for Martin Luther College. The day of groundbreaking arrived, and what a glorious a day it was! Hundreds came to hear – as is the custom on this campus – the word of God proclaimed, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” As we moved outside to the groundbreaking site, the perfect skies provided a warming sun and refreshing breezes for the ceremonies. And in humble gratitude, we gathered around a small piece of ground to dedicate the construction to God’s glory.

 Hundreds heard – as is the custom on this campus – the triune God praised for goodness, and petitioned for grace on this project. And in the wind, in the sun, in the combined voices singing “God’s Word is Our Great Heritage”, I could almost feel the hand of God. Like baptismal blessings poured over a grandchild, God’s word poured over me, filling my heart with praise and thanks, and filling those present with a memory that will live with them forever.

 And those memories, those blessings, those words of God will be revisited again and again. They will be recounted in classrooms, in congregations, and in kitchens across our synod. Prayers have been answered. God again has reaffirmed His faithfulness to His people in a very special way. It was well worth the wait.

This tax season most of us will be receiving a rebate check. I am sure many, myself included, are thinking of ways to use this unexpected rebate from the government. I would like to suggest that we at least take a good look at the story of Zacchaeus, on whose heart the Lord had gotten a good grip. He said to all those who had assembled at his house: “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor . . .” (Luke 19:8). Just think what would happen if all of us decided to follow this example of Zacchaeus and give 50 percent of this unexpected rebate to our local congregation, local WELS school or other organization, or to the synod. The result would be staggering.