Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Wait on the LORD

Wait Upon the Lord



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

Psalm 27:14


We read these verses and ask the question, "What am I waiting for?" Why does God expect me to wait? How will I know when my waiting time is over? In studying these passages I found myself weak in an area of my walk with God. This is a weakness I suspect I share with many. I do not like to wait. But when the Bible speaks of waiting it is not speaking about "standing in line. I want to help you with this concept.


What does it mean to wait on God?

There are basically four concepts involved in this word "waiting" in Scripture.


1. To wait on means to look eagerly for, to anticipate

The image here is to wait for the arrrival of a someone. To look forward to an event. It might be a special holiday or a package in the mail. We all know what it is to anticipate what we know is coming. Now apply that to the spiritual. Do you look forward to spiritual things, or do you dread them. Are they a chore?


Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things. Jer. 14:22


This is Hope ... Hope is faith in His promises.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5

This is not, "I hope so" hope. This is that "Blessed Hope;" that absolute assurance that only God gives.

2. To wait on means to dependence upon.

It means to rely on. To count on or put confidence in. Friday is payday. I count on it. If I went to work all week, and on Friday they said, "sorry! we aren't giving out paychecks any more." How many of us would come back on Monday? Not me! There are people I can rely on to be there for me, and there are people I can rely on to be unreliable. I am counting on God to deliver, to forgive to supply.


This too is faith. Faith in His character


Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalm 59:9


The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Psalm 145:15


3. To wait upon means to linger

Imagine two young lovers just who can't say good bye over the phone. Each one is waiting for the other to hang up. Or, Standing on the door step, they spend an hour saying goodbye. I remember when my beloved bride and I were dating. We acted this way. No wonder our friends said we were sickening. When we first got married, I would leave for work in the morning. Terri would act as if she wouldn't see me again for a month. We wanted every moment to last forever. We wanted to linger just a little longer.


Do you feel that way when you have you devotion time? Do we treat prayer time as just another scheduled event? "Well, I got that out of the way I can go about my business now!" How sad that we seldom have that desire to linger in His presence. The Christian who is waiting on God does not grudge picking up his Bible, he grudges putting it down. My time with the Father is precious. I'm jealous of anything that keeps me from it!


This is fellowship. How sad it is to allow it to die in our relationship with the Father


4. An unusual definition of this word from the original text is to "bind together to be collected."

The image here is of a servant serving in the field. The servant knows the master will soon return. He loves the Master and desires to please him. So he is busy about the Master's work. When I go to a restaurant with my beloved bride we will have a lady or a gentleman come to out table and say, "Hello, I'm you waiter; I will be serving you tonight. Why do they call it them a waiter? They are waiting on, or serving me to my desire in hopes of a good tip! (By the way; I'm a good tipper.)


Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Psalm 123:2


This is service. I wait upon my Heavenly Father by serving Him in His field! (And He's a good tipper too.)


Here are some Bible promises connected waiting.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:9


Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalm 59:9


The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Psalm 145:15



But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40: 31


Learn to wait upon the LORD! Hope in Him. Linger with Him. Rely on Him. Serve Him. Wait, I say upon the LORD!

Thank you for reading

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