This past Sunday, Sean Nelson from Grace Fellowship spoke at The Fellowship as a part of our series in Esther. He talked about waiting on God. The Jews were facing death by decree. The clock was ticking, time was running out, and they were waiting … and time was running out. But while they were waiting, praying, fasting … God was working.
I resonate with the expression, “Hurry up and wait.” When I was in the military in the 82nd Airborne, it was the way we lived. Get ready … and then wait. Our ability to wait is not one of those attributes that you might consider resume worthy. That is right, “I got an “A” in waiting.”. NOT! We do not usually strive for learning to wait and yet, I can remember my parents instructing me as a young boy, “Wait your turn” when I would want to jump in front of my sisters or whenever I would want something and they were busy, I would hear, “Just wait a minute” (spoken rather impatiently and loudly)! Waiting is not something I have experienced as a positive in my life. Waiting is only prolonging my turn or even worse, standing in the way of what I want … now! I know you want what you want when you want it … like now! Sean shared a quote on Sunday …
Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given. G. Campbell Morgan
What a great quote to redefine waiting in my life. Waiting is standing fast under the command of God, ready, listening, and prepared. It is so true that waiting is the ability to do nothing until the command is given. The truth is, God says a great deal about waiting. Some 86 times in the ESV (English Standard Version), we read the word, “Wait.” First in Genesis 49:18, “I wait for your salvation, O Lord.” and then 17 times in the Psalms alone, we read about “Wait”. Here are three that are indicative …
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 25:5
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
Psalm 31:24
The object of my waiting is the Lord, my commander and chief, the one is at work on my behalf. He is my hope and my help. He is the one who leads me and who fights for me. Jesus is always worth waiting for, but it may mean that I do nothing other than get dressed, suit up for the battle and wait for the next command.
Charles Stanley said, “Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we’re waiting for.” Jesus is worth waiting for because there is nothing worse than getting bored and distracted … and then not hear or be ready when the Lord calls. Waiting is tough! You might say that the worst part of life is waiting, but the best part life is having someone worth waiting for! What are you waiting for? I am waiting for the Lord to speak, to lead, to command, to move, to love, to call, to deliver, to heal, to restore … everyday, all day; I want to be ready as I wait on the Lord.
Take some time this week - in the midst of whatever you are waiting on God for - and sit with Him in silence knowing that He is worth it.
-Pastor Jerry