By: Joyce K. Picker
July 2024 Blog
You do realize that our lives are full of waiting, right? We wait on each other, we wait on package deliveries, we wait for vacation, we wait for a report, we wait for an important email, we wait for our pay checks; it seems as if we are forever waiting!
But what does it mean to wait on God and what are we doing while we are waiting?
Isaiah 40:31 They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles: they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Even when we are young and full of energy, fit and strong, we will still experience exhaustion and an end to our strength. Everyone will need to rely on God and wait on Him for His help.
Lets put our waiting into perspective. We are waiting on the God who:
Measures all the waters of the earth in the palm of His hand, marked off the heavens and collects every particle of dust on the earth in a basket. (Isaiah 40:12)
Knows the exact weight of all the mountains, islands, and hills. (Isaiah 40:12,15)
Sits on a throne above the Earth and watches us. Dwells in a tent made from the canopies of the heavens. (Isaiah 40:22)
Brings out the stars each night by calling them by name. (Isaiah 40:26)
Causes earthly rulers to wither with his breath. (Isaiah 40:24)
A wonderful dear precious friend and man of God once told us He is God and we are not.
(Simple but wise). This is the God we wait for. We wait for Him because He can accomplish all we cannot. We are helpless without Him. Waiting is something that is only possible within time. God, the Creator of time, is not limited by time. When we are waiting for Him to act, He has already acted.
2 Peter 3:8-9 With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with us.
He understands waiting and His timing is always perfect. But what are we doing while we are waiting? This can be as crucial as the waiting itself. Are we praying, believing, speaking out the truth? Are we being constructive with our time or do lies and anxiety fill us?
I love the story of Lazarus and I believe it illustrates the points I am trying to make.
John 11 tells the story of Lazarus, who was a friend of Yeshua’s. Lazarus got really sick and his sisters, Mary and Martha sent word to Yeshua. Instead of hurrying to help, Yeshua delayed his arrival on purpose. During the delay, Lazarus died. By the time Yeshua showed up, Lazarus had been dead and in the grave for four days. This was intentional. Do you think Yeshua was trying to tell us something? He planned on raising Lazarus from the dead revealing His glory as the Resurrection and Life! (john 11:25) Yeshua KNEW Lazarus would get sick before he ever experienced symptoms. Everyday ordained for each one of us was recorded by Gog before one of them came to be. Lazarus’ days were literally numbered, and so are ours. Even before Mary and Martha sent word to Yeshua, He already had a plan and his plan included making them wait!!!! Nothing surprised Yeshua, not the circumstances of Lazurus’ life or our circumstance. He knows, He knew and waiting is part of His plan for us.
What struck me when I read John 11 is that Yeshua was not in a hurry, thus making the Disciples nervous and questioning. It was as if he purposely delayed his journey. Mind blowing, huh? What did they do while waiting? If a test was given to them at that time, they would have probably failed it! This makes me wonder what do we do in the waiting? If a test was given would we pass or fail. I believe it is our responsibility as Believers to constantly evaluate our actions and always try to improve to be that person of God we are called to be. We have certainly not arrived. Besides, waiting on God is GOOD for us. If God acted immediately every time we cried to Him, we would be in control and not Him. We would call the shots and we know that would not be a good idea! Having to wait on Him causes us to learn to trust Him and His perfect timing.
Here is an excerpt from a book called” Disappointment” by Kristi Walker.
“From the valley, I look up to the mountains and say, ‘Why God? Why do I have to be down here instead of up there? I’ve been down here so long.’ And into the silence He speaks, if I am willing to be silent enough to listen.
“‘I want to take you to the mountaintop, but you are not yet ready. The climb is hard and steep and you must train a while longer. This valley is preparing you. Suffering and waiting produce the necessary perseverance, character and hope that you will need to get to the top, without which you would certainly fail. Trust me. It seems to you too long, but it is a necessary amount of time. My timing is perfect. I have not forgotten you. I see your faithfulness and your struggle. I appreciate your honesty. I am with you always, and soon, when you are ready, we will stand on the summit together, and when you look back down on that valley, you will finally understand.’”
Wow, how’s that for perspective? Let’s meditate on these scriptures and think about how God wants the very best for us in every situation. We can do our part by waiting on Him.
Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him, fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over man who carries out evil devices! the
Psalm 130:5-6 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope; my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for perfecting our character as we wait for you. Thank you that in the waiting our wisdom is sharpened, our faith gets stronger, and we learn to totally and completely rely on You. Thank you for every detail that you have in your hands and thank you for blessing us in so many ways. We love you and we happily wait on You. Amen.
Please listen to this Danny Gokey song. It will bless you!!! It’s called Stay Strong. You can find it on You Tube.
Please check out my teachings on the Feasts and Festivals. I love your feedback, so stay in touch!!!
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