Tarry Awhile

1 Corinthians 16:7 KJV

For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

Life was admittedly slower then than now. Travel was much more complicated and dangerous and a missionary, such as Paul, was at risk as much from the travel as the work.

• Periods of travel had to be managed around the seasons
• Long periods of rest were often required to recover from the rigors of travel
• Tarrying a while in one place was essential in travel

But it is to be noted that the Apostle was very successful In establishing churches that were able to continue and reproduce themselves even when he was not with them. This must have been at least in part because of the time he invested in tarrying with them. He could have the long term impact he did because he gave them much of his time while he was with them. He did not concern himself with a clock[1] and it appears neither did they.

• What mattered was getting the message down
• What mattered was being grounded in the truth
• What mattered was the message and that the congregation knew it

To tarry awhile; to take your time with people, to give attention and time to the details of the truth of God's Word is no waste of time.

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[1] Though it is obvious he concerned himself with a calendar.