Articles
Waiting on God
King David wrote a lot about "waiting" on the Lord.
In one such passage, David says, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning ..." (Psalm 130: 5-6)
What does waiting on the Lord mean?
One author (Roy Davidson) put it like this, 'To wait means to be alert to something expected or anticipated. To wait for a bus means that we have decided not to walk, but to use public transportation. We must wait, because the bus has not yet arrived. We wait patiently because we have looked at the timetable and believe that the bus will come. We also know that when the bus does arrive, we must be waiting at the right bus stop.'
Are we today, as Christians, waiting on the Lord? Do we look to Him for what we are assured will be worked out for our salvation? Do we get up each day and go to bed each night, anticipating His return? Do we wait on Him in times of trial and turmoil, fear and uncertainty? Are we patient when we are in need, waiting on Him to complete His will in the situation? Are we willing to wait for Him regarding justice for the evil we must live with? Are we waiting on Him in grand anticipation of the day He returns and the trip to that home He has prepared for those who are found in His family on that day?
As we wait, we use the word 'hope'. For the Christian, hope is not wishful thinking on our part, rather it is full assurance from God. Our hope gives us the ability to wait.
If we are not waiting on God, then one thing is true; He is waiting on us! God is waiting for us to repent and turn to Him so that we can indeed wait for Him! "Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him" (Isaiah 30:18). A preacher once asked Saul later to become the great Apostle Paul, "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." (Acts 22:16)
Paul was waiting, but not on God. When asked what exactly he was waiting for, he stopped his waiting, and obeyed the commands of Jesus. Do we find ourselves like Paul, keeping God waiting? If so, what is it we are waiting for? If we are not yet Christians, what exactly is it that stands between us and allowing God to release us from our sins for our salvation? We should repent, and turn to God, believing in His son Jesus, confessing our faith and being baptized as well. God then places us into His body, the church, and Jesus becomes the garment we wear, we are clothed with Him. "...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:27)
Only in this way will we receive His grace and mercy which assure us of salvation for eternity, for which we anxiously await.
Us waiting on God is a good thing. God waiting on us is not!
