For Whom Do You Wait?

Another Mystery Along The Way

We all have strange, mysterious and wonderful stories to tell as we journey down this path we know as the narrow way, and this is one of mine from the late 1980s…

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (Acts 17:20)

I had stopped at a local Mexican restaurant in Union City, California on my way home from work; and unbeknownst to me while I waited for my take-out order, a young man was busily writing a poem.

As I left, he came running after me in the parking lot and handed me a folded up placemat saying, “This is for you,” and then he walked away.

The image at the top of this blog post is a photo of the framed, unfolded placemat.

The following is the poem that was written on the placemat (other than being center-justified, it is unedited):

For Whom Do You Wait

For whom do you wait?
Is it for some strong love, you’ve never seen before?
Or is it perhaps a long held love you adore?
Or perhaps is it more?

Perhaps the light to lead you on your way,
gently, hand in hand, so that you need not
stand,
alone.

For whom do you wait?
Is it for the path you do not know?
Is it for Straight but true Direction?
Is it for one who spells perfection,
Or perhaps merely protection?

For whom do you wait?
Is it for a Golden Gate,
Is it perhaps too late?

For whom do you wait?
Has your time been to close to hate?
Have you been to long in such a state,
I ask for whom do you wait?

I hope you find your key to
Whatever golden gate opens to your dreams,
and you find the cherished, chastened,
Cherub, that you seem to seek,

But allways find the gold behind,
the blinds that make you wait.

J.V.M.

I have carried this amazing piece around with me, written to me by a total stranger more than thirty years ago, always wondering why someone would sit in a restaurant writing these personal words to another total stranger; or perhaps we weren’t really strangers at all?

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Heb 13:2)

I’ve always been fascinated by the above verse, especially because this happened to me at least ten years before I ever became a Christian. It is much like the time I acquired a Bible when I was helping a relative move, and kept it on my bookshelf for twenty-five years before I ever became a Christian.

God really does work in mysterious ways.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (1Cor 2:7)

I can’t remember exactly when this all happened or what the young man looked like, but it left an indelible impression on me. I believe it took place circa 1987-1990 when I owned a small shop, Yogurt Plus, in Alameda, California. I tried to find the Mexican restaurant on Google Maps but to no avail. The area looks completely different now.

I am still not sure what to make of it all; but I must confess, that I have wondered if “J.V.M.” stands for “Jesus Visited Me”.

So, for whom do I wait? I wait on the Lord…

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Ps 27:14)

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For a most-helpful guide (pdf) to the narrow way and authentic salvation—by a man who walked it to the end—click here: BeSureYouAreSaved.com