Waiting

Since the day we are born, we are taught to wait. In our infancy, we are helpless. We cannot ask for the things we need, so we cry, trusting that mom or dad will come to our rescue. As toddlers who are old enough to ask for what we want or need, we are often met with the dreaded word “wait” by mom or dad. We throw a fit, stomping off with our arms crossed and a frown on our face. We would often comment, “I don’t want to wait. It will take too long”, or “it’s not fair”. In our teenage years, we wait for the first day of Jr. High or High school, we wait to get our first job, our driver’s licenses, we wait to graduate high school, for acne to be gone, to start college and to find our soul mate whom God has designed specifically for us. The list goes on and on. As adults, we are still waiting on the Lord for many things. Waiting is not always easy. But I believe God’s timing in all things is perfect. He always brings forth the answer, yet it is not always within the time frame we would choose. We simply have to trust.

David was a man after God’s own heart. He walked closely with God. Yet, his prayers and admonishes are full of waiting:

• David waits in expectation for the Lord’s answers each day.In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (Psa. 5:3);
• David encourages us to be strong and to not lose heart as we wait for the Lord to reveal Himself in our situation.Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Psa. 27:14);
• David instructs us to wait with hope because God will come to our rescue.We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. (Psa. 33:20);
• David instructs us to put our hope in the Word of God as we wait for the Lord’s answers.
  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psa. 130:5)

Webster’s Dictionary defines “to wait” this way:

to remain in readiness for some purpose

Other words for “wait” are: anticipate, look forward, long, pine, yearn, expect, be ready.

As David waited on the Lord, he remained in a state of readiness to fulfill the purposes of God for that day. He encouraged himself in the Lord, telling himself to stay strong and reminding himself that God would rescue him. David put his hope in the Word of God. He trusted that God would take care of him. In those times when I desperately need an answer from God, I can often get impatient and tend to want to find my own solutions. Sometimes in the waiting, I can feel abandoned, unloved or like God isn’t hearing me. But the Word of God reminds me that He is waiting for me to come to him during those times.

But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them. (Is. 30:18)

Does this mean I simply ask once and leave it at that? No! I must continue to press in, to ask, to seek God through His word until such time as the answer or direction is brought forth. I am to continually come to Him so that He can show me His love and compassion, and so that in due time He can rescue me.

I do not know what you are waiting on the Lord for. I myself am waiting on a few things. But my prayer is that we would all be strengthened as we wait; that we would lean in to hear what He is saying; that we would trust that His timing is perfect and that He will reveal His plan in due time. God is for us, not against us. In our waiting, we must remember His great love for us!

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Is. 40:31)