PSALM 40:1-3 – I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE LESSONS LEARNED BY WAITING ON GOD. I must confess this is not one of my strong suits. Oh, it isn’t a besetting sin that hounds me all the time, but it is always ready to raise its ugly head and say ,”Hello, it’s me again.” Perhaps you may join me in a little confession time as well. And not to make excuses, though, I am making an excuse, our culture gives us no favors when it comes to this area of confession. My confession? Your confession, maybe? We are not a people very good at waiting – waiting at long red lights, waiting at long check-out lines, waiting at slow moving drive-through windows, and far more importantly, waiting on God to answer prayer, deliver us from trouble, or any other aspect of His seemingly slow timetable in coming to our aid. But waiting is a choice school God enrolls us in to teach us many things about Himself and ourselves. Today’s scripture offers us some good things we gain by learning to patiently wait on the Lord.
First, we grow to pray confidently while waiting on God to answer our prayers. I know that seems like a contradiction, but David boldly is talking in the past tense – I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. Why? God had proven Himself in the past to him. David, in the midst of his struggles, he remembers the past. He remembers God’s faithfulness to answer his prayers in the past so that he is able to wait upon his God in the present with patience and confidence.
Another truth from waiting on God is a heart of praise. David writes, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” When the waiting is over and God intervenes, reveals Himself, all that can result is praise. Worship flows when God says, “The waiting is over”. Who has not burst in the spirit of worshipful thanksgiving when God answers prayer; when God shows Himself to us in comforting love; when God opens our eyes of spiritual understanding about Himself? We so appreciate the Lord more when the waiting season is over.
A final lesson learned in the school of waiting is the witness it gives to a watching world – Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. What are the “many will see and fear” observing? The Christian patiently, confidently, and joyfully waiting on God. How contrary to the world! What a witness to the world to see a disciple of Jesus Christ enduring the difficulties in life, not complaining, but in submission to the will of God in a spirit of patient waiting on Him. Don’t underestimate the powerful influence this will have on unbelievers. It may very well open the door for the Gospel.
Waiting on God is not easy, but it is profitable. There are lessons to learn that may only be taught in God’s school of waiting in which all His children will be enrolled.
PRAYER: “Father, forgive me for the times I show more impatience than patience in my walk with You.”
QUOTE: “God will teach us more about Himself by causing us to wait on Him than His instant intervention.”