Lent Day 33 - Waiting on God

 “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchman wait for the morning, yes, more than watchman wait for the morning.”    Psalm 130:5-6

If you look at several different translations of the bible you see that the terms “wait for” and “trust in” are often used interchangeably. That makes sense when you consider that waiting on God takes trust in him; trust that he will keep his promises, and that he has not forgotten us.

God’s timing is always perfect for his plan; his, not ours. God cares about every concern that we have – even the little, seemingly insignificant ones. When he responds to those concerns – whatever that response may be – it is in keeping with his plan to bring restoration and healing to this world, and ultimately to return as the conquering King to reign over all the earth.

Mankind has been waiting for 2000 years for the second coming of Christ. Countless groups over the years have tried to determine when the end will come. We all know about December 2012. While we don’t have the date and time - Matthew 24:36 says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” - we do have the assurance of his return. In the meantime, we have the assurance of his presence with us and the knowledge that he is at work in us, working out his plan in us.

We all have prayers and hopes that we take before the Lord. A time of waiting can be a time of learning and preparing, growing and refining. It can also be one of the hardest things we do.

As you pray about the ministry God has for you, pray for the wisdom and discipline to wait on him. Not waiting as in putting off service to him, but learning not to get ahead of him by following our own plan because we don’t want to wait for his. We need to pray for God’s peace in the waiting, and use that time for prayer, meditation on his word, and preparation. Waiting does not mean being idle. It means we continue where we are, doing the things he requires of us: praise, prayer, mediation on his word, and service, until he tells us to move on.

The Israelites had a cloud and a pillar of fire to follow. When it moved they moved. When it stopped, they stayed still until it moved again. It would be great to have something that tangible and visible as a sign. Remember, though, that even with such a sign, the children of Israel got restless and grumbled, and were exceptionally disobedient. Waiting is not just a matter of physically being still. It is a matter of the heart. It is remembering God’s promise, and resting in the assurance that he always keeps his word, in his time. It is faith and hope, and excited anticipation for what he will do next.

Let’s wait on the Lord together and anticipate with excitement and praise where he will lead us. Know that God is active in our hearts as we wait, changing and refining us, and preparing us to join him in his plan.

I am praying for you today. 

Sherri 


How do you wait on God?