When God says wait, wait . . .

“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.  (Ps 40:1-2)

The author of Psalm 40 (King David) talks about   w   a   i   t   i   n   g    patiently for God.   How patient are we?  We live in an era where information is exchanged more quickly than any other time in human history, and the pace increases every single day.   So how are we supposed to wait?

We communicate via text message, cook our food in microwave ovens, instantly receive dozens of simultaneous updates about our entire community on social media, and repeat this process multiple times every day.  We can feel that God has failed us if we don’t receive an answer (that we deem satisfactory) within 24 hours.

We get angry at God (or doubt His goodness or even existence) if He doesn’t come through in our way, on our timetable.

God loves us but He won’t be controlled by us.

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.[b]
(Ps 40:4)

“Blessed is the one who trusts . . .”   Not the one who takes matter into their own hands.

Waiting is excruciating.   God often seems to wait until about 3 days after the last possible moment to show up.   Sometimes we wait past the end of this natural life to see God’s answer (in eternity).   But he doesn’t fail.

Noah waited for God to prove him not crazy for building a boat in the middle of the desert.   David waited years and years–often running for his life–to become king.   Godly exiles waited for God to return them home from the Babylonian Captivity.   The entire Jewish culture waited hundreds of years for their Messiah to be born.

Parents wait on God to bring their children back to Him.   Children wait on God to reveal himself in a saving way to the parents and grandparents they love.

Friends wait on God to draw their unbelieving friends and family to Him.

God’s ways are worth the wait.

Sometimes we see that clearly demonstrated here on earth.   And sometimes, excruciatingly, we don’t.  Some things will not make sense until we reach eternity and God rights every wrong, evens every score, and brings final healing to those who died in Him.   But it will be worth the wait.

 

How hard is it to wait on God?

What are you waiting on right now?

How long are you willing to wait?