Waiting"  (Sun Tzu 6:1) (Isaiah 40:27-31;Matt.21:23ff; Luke 13:31-35; John 18:1-31)

Waiting is a trick they teach a dog right at the start,
Doesn’t matter yet if dog knows when (or not) to bark;
“Sit” then “stay” then “drop” are some commands it learns to heed,
Then they teach it “fetch”, and all the signals it must read.

If you teach a dog to fetch before it learns to drop,
Comes a car along a road, then you must make it stop
Or you’ve lost a dog – not good for budget or the pet;
Teach it how to patience have, and you might have it yet.

Any dog will fetch a stick, but will not stop en route;
Throw it, call out, “stay”, and “go”, and “drop”, in its pursuit –
That’s a dog who’s trained and can cooperate quite well,
Then it’s ready to go out – good stories you will tell.

Sun Tzu said whoever gets to battlefield as first,
Gets a chance to rest up, likely will not come out worst;
They will be refreshed, at ease, and occupy the field,
Waiting for commands to act, and general won’t yield.

Those who turn up second, follow on, arrive there late,
Will be tired, fatigued, and weary, cannot hesitate
Even moments to assemble, to prepare to fight –
Rushed into the battle, there’s no time to do things right.

Troops now worn out, so exhausted ’fore they even start,
Meet opponents in defenses strong, who then embark
On their planned attacks before the others catch their breath –
Disadvantaged – dominated, even if the best.

Able Commandants; good soldiers; skillful, who excel
In such warfare dominate, impose their will, compel,
Adversaries, their opponents, to advance to them;
Thus they learn to wait a while, then wait some more again.

They must learn to hold positions, not be drawn to move
To the open ’till it’s time, their battle-plan to prove;
Like a grindstone smashes on an egg, that’s how it goes
When the time for patience shifts to time for dealing blows.

In the Scripture, Prophet comments, “Wait upon the Lord,
He will tell you when advancing is for you with sword;
Innocent, but wise as serpents, let them come to you,
Jesus in the temple, garden, stayed in public view.

Background work was done by Jesus and his merry band;
When attacked it did not matter, down-lines then could stand
On their own while He was captured, tried, hung on a cross,
Winning for us our salvation – that’s how Satan lost.

Jesus waited ’till quite ready, said to Herod, “Hey,
I’ll be back once I am done, to let you make your play;
Preparations must be finished – mentor mentors then
They’ll go forth and mentor others – when I rise I’ll send –

“Them into the other nations, cultures of the globe,
So for now I’m out of here, and action I withhold;
Patience have, my merry men and women who would go
On a mission at my bidding – sometimes fast seems slow.

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