When God whispers, “be patient and wait on me.”
Part 2
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25 (ESV)
Hi Friends, I hope this reflection finds you well, having had a safe and Happy New Year!
Last week I shared a reflection with you about the periods in our lives when the Lord commands us to be patient and to wait. Some of you might even be reading this post while in a season of waiting. Candidly, this is the case for my wife and me, and though we know that seasons in our lives are temporary, the pain and uncertainty in some seasons can be difficult, and the wait can feel like an eternity. I pray that you might find comfort, as we have, in knowing that you are not alone. Here are a few examples of biblical figures who experienced seasons of waiting.
Noah worked for 125 years on the Ark, waiting for it to rain. (I can only imagine what folks were saying about him while he hammered away) Once the rain started, Noah and his family spent three 378 days living on the Ark, with all the animals, waiting for the waters to subside to begin a new life in a drastically transformed world.
Abraham waited 25 years for God to fulfill His promise to give Him an heir through his wife, Sarah, despite her old age. He was 100 years old when Sarah gave birth to Isaac.
Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, waited seven years to marry the woman he loved, Rachel, only to be deceived by her father resulting in an additional seven years of servitude before he would finally marry her.
Joseph was imprisoned for two years before Pharoah called on him to interpret a dream. He would later be appointed governor of Egypt.
*Note, we are still in the Old Testament; in fact, we haven't even left Genesis, the first book of the Bible!
When we glance in the New Testament, we find Rebekah, who waited 20 years to conceive a child who would be called John the Baptist and announce the coming of the Messiah. There were roughly 400 years between the time of Malachi in the Old Testament and the ministry of John the Baptist in the New Testament, a period in which there were no scriptures written, prophets, or prophecies. God was silent, and the world waited.
My friends, I am only scratching the surface with these examples. When we explore the Word, we realize that there are a host of individuals, biblical heroes, who also faced seasons of waiting in their lives. They waited for deliverance, waited for provision, waited for healing, waited for peace, waited for love, waited for redemption, and much more. One might say that waiting is a significant theme in the Bible story.
We learned from last week’s reflection that patiently waiting on God is a call to obedience. However, this is not the only lesson the Lord is trying to teach us. Patiently waiting on the Lord challenges us to grow in our trust and in our faith.
Another lesson my wife and I are learning in our season of waiting is to shift our focus from the thing we have been praying for and place the focus on the one to whom we are praying. Psalm 46:10 states, “Be still, and know that I am God;” Here, we are instructed to be still or to be silent and, in our stillness and silence, to know God. The Bible gives us many names for God. Let’s see what His many names reveal about His character and who He is.
For those waiting for deliverance, He is Jehova Mephalti, The LORD my Deliverer.
For those waiting for provision, He is Jehova Jireh, The LORD will Provide.
For those waiting on healing, He is Jehova Rapha, The LORD our Healer.
For those waiting on peace, He is Jehova Shalom, The LORD our Peace.
For those waiting for love or waiting to be loved,’ He is Abba, “daddy,” God the Father.
And for those waiting for redemption, He is Jesus, our Redeemer.
As you wait patiently for the Lord, and in your silence and stillness, take the opportunity to focus on Him and know that He is at work, teaching you to be obedient and to trust HIm. He is strengthening your faith and revealing Himself to you. And, no matter the circumstances that define your season of waiting, know that He is sufficient to meet your every need.
Prayer
Lord, teach us to be patient in our season of waiting. Help us to be still, to shift our focus away from all distractions, and focus on you. Lord, we ask that you reveal yourself to us through your Word and through the power of your Holy Spirit so that we may increase our faith and trust in you, knowing that you are sufficient for all our needs. Though we cannot see the road ahead, and we do not know how long the wait will be, help us to find comfort in knowing that while we wait, and as we are still, you are always working.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Explore the Word
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25 (ESV)
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Pslam 46:10 ESV
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 (ESV)
“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 (ESV)
