Waiting on the Lord

I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is loving kindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. 8 And  He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Psalm 130:5-8


Have you ever taken a moment to notice what an impatient society we are a part of?  There are more drivethru opportunities than one can count, every grocery store has opened an express self-check so you don’t have to wait behind another person to pay for your groceries, our kids are accustomed to the instant gratification of shows at the click of a remote, games at the click of a mouse, a meal after a short spin in the microwave, activities at the end of brief car ride … the list goes on about how we as Americans today do not like to to wait.  I admit, I fall into that trap more often than I like to admit.  How often I find myself switching 
lanes to avoid the sweet little grandma driving below the speed limit in front of me only to meet her at the red light moments apart.  How often do I find myself hurrying one of our children through something a simple as putting their coat on in a vain attempt to gain extra seconds in our routine. There are so many more examples but you understand the point.


One of the important teachings of the Bible is the call to “wait on the Lord.” Even though God promises special blessing for waiting, waiting is one of the most difficult commands of Scripture. Why is it so hard? Because, as a part of our sinful nature we are naturally prone to taking matters into our own hands, to follow our own schemes. Yet, over and over again we are told in Scripture “wait on the Lord.” 


When we think of waiting on the Lord, there are a number of important questions that need to be answered and understood in light of the principles and promises of Scripture. Why? Because without these answers, we become like a long-tailed cat scurrying around in a room full of rocking chairs. We become fidgety, fearful, frustrated, anxious, and even angry. However, because the Lord tells us to wait, and since it has some wonderful benefits, we need to know what it means to wait and how that is to be done. 


When the psalmist wrote in Psalm 130:5-6: “I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning,” he was comparing waiting expectantly on the Lord to the night guards of the city who watched the passage of time in anticipation of the coming dawn when they would be released from duty. The coming of the dawn was certain, but not without the passage of time. In our “I want it now generation” we must understand and accept the fact that waiting on the Lord always involves the passage of time just as it does when we are waiting for the news, a special TV program, for a plane to arrive, or for retirement. Waiting on the Lord inevitably means enduring the passage of time, but it means more, much more.


Waiting involves an expectation of something special. Waiting means anticipation, expectation, confident hope in something that will take place. Ultimately, waiting on the Lord is like waiting on the sun to rise—waiting expectantly for the Lord’s answers to human needs as the sun brings the warmth of the day.  The ability to wait on the Lord stems from being confident and focused on who God is and in what God is doing. It means confidence in God’s person: confidence in His wisdom, love, timing, understanding of our situation and that of the world. It means knowing and trusting in God’s principles, promises, purposes, and power.


Dear Lord, we are an impatient people yet You desire us to wait expectantly on you.  Help us to take time to seek you out, to discern your voice and to follow your ways.  Let us examine our priorities and hold them up to your example.  Amen