Wait on the Lord

 

Day 6) Psalm 27:13; Isaiah 40:30-31 - “Wait on the Lord” 
“Do you not know? Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.  But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” 

 Thoughts: Waiting is one of the hardest things to do.  But we do not learn patience without it.  There is no such thing as patience for someone who is always gratified immediately.  Patience comes when God’s “Yes” turns into a “No” or a “Wait.”  Isolation and quarantine are a definite period of waiting.
    This week a famous violinist who had been in isolation since the pandemic began, played in a concert in Taiwan.  He said coming back to play was like he was “resuscitated.”  To be in isolation is in a sense waiting to be resuscitated- for God to bring us back from paralysis into action.   

     “Waiting on the Lord” implies that there is a Lord to wait on, trust in, hope in.  Waiting on God develops faith and trust in Him.  I remember once at a hotel by a pool, hearing the father tell his three children to stay by the chairs and not get in the water while he went to the canteen to get something to drink.  The oldest girl waited patiently.  The younger boys got more and more restless.  One of them finally broke for it and ran to the pool, put his toe in and came back.  After two times of this, he finally just jumped in.  The father got back, and three voices began competing for his ear.  But the father came back,  as he promised, to help them get in the water fully supervised.  The oldest knew he would come back, she had learned to listen and trust.  Part of waiting is to learn to listen and trust in the love of God for us. 
    Seven astronauts know what it is like to go on the dark side of the moon where no one can see you or communicate with you.  They were super isolated.  I can remember the relief when each command module would suddenly and scratchily appear coming into communication.  It seemed as if we held our breath.  We do not want others to be isolated.  Yet many are, out of safety concerns, today.  It is a very sad time of waiting.  But let us wait that our orbit will bring us back around.  The dark side of the moon does not last forever.  But more than that- we have a God of light who brings hope who is described as "love."  As the God of love, He ends isolation.  Only hell is isolation.  Heaven is fellowship.  The Christian hope is not solely in this life- though this life is important.  Our ultimate home and citizenship is in heaven.  
     Today we found out that President Donald John Trump and his wife Melania Trump have Covid-19.  We should pray for them like we should pray for anyone with this dreadful disease- but especially because he is a ruler (1 Tim. 2:2).  Like everyone else, they will have to wait to see if they get severe symptoms or whether they will recover fully or not.  No matter who we are- rich/poor; powerful/helpless; educated/non-educated; no matter what our race, beauty, popularity- we all must wait on the Lord- our Maker and Sustainer.   

 

Prayer: Lord, teach me, help me, strengthen my heart to wait on you.  We do pray for President Trump and his wife.  We pray for those who have been in contact with them.  We look and wait on you for healing for them, and also healing for our whole nation.  We need you, Lord.  Have mercy on us.  

(Waiting Room symbol)

5th Seal- Wait Til the Number is Up

9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,^e were killed just as they had been. (Rev. 6). 

Thoughts:  Many have asked, "If God is so good, why doesn't He do something about evil?"  The answer is that He will.  But it is in His timing- He is much more patient than we are.  Some similarly say, "When will God do something about evil?"  This passage was written to a persecuted church, to tell them that their persecution will not last forever, and evil will not last.
      It is interesting that the fifth seal is God telling His martyrs to wait.  The other breaking of the seals invited a horseman to come on.  God's timing is perfect and gracious.  He is waiting until the full number of people to repent and the full number of His martyrs- who will be honored forever- is complete. Part of our task on earth is also to wait on the Lord.  As we prepare for the season of advent- the season of waiting, this is an important thought.  God hears the prayers of us to hurry up and bring the kingdom to earth as it is in heaven- but this involves not just reward but judgment and God is only going to move when it is His time.  

Prayer:  Help me, Lord, to wait on you. Help me to trust in your timing, wisdom, and grace.  

11/30/12- Advent and Waiting

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Thoughts: In our culture, waiting and resting are bad things.  Yet they are reminders that we are not there yet.  As we prepare for advent (Sunday), we need to remember that one of the themes of advent is waiting on God to come- as Mary did, as the whole world did, as we do.
    In heaven there will not be lines- only circles.  In heaven there will not be lack of patience, because we do not run out of time, and we see (finally clearly) that all time and eternity is in God's hands.  
    Here our bodies are forced to rest- to sleep as a sign of our finitude, and a bit of humility to our pride.  Sabbath is broken in a rebellion against our ability to wait, to rest, to spend time with family and God.  In heaven we see Sabbath is much more important than our idea of work and productivity- which apart from God's glory- has no eternal importance.  
    So wait on the Lord.  When you are going through the trials, pains, and griefs of life-- wait on Him.  

Prayer: Help me to wait on you, O Lord.  Give me confidence to wait on you.