the wonderful world of waiting

May 25th, 2024

Six days of reading about waiting. I can imagine that some of us are looking forward to the next topic but wait…there’s one more. (I couldn’t resist!) Thanks be to God for our Devotional Team has ministered to us out of the abundance of their hearts. Here is our last devotional on “Patience to Wait on the Lord.” Meditate on this chapter one last time and be encouraged!

SCRIPTURE: “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah 5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor. 10 Do not trust in oppression, nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. 12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; for You render to each one according to his work.” Psalm 62:1-12

The portion of scripture that grabs my heart the most is verse five, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. “ The silent wait for a most desired thing can be agony, for it begs the question, “Why can’t I have it now?” “After all, I’ve prayed for it, I’ve sacrificed, I’ve given to others.” “I even have the money for it!” But God makes us wait and while we are waiting, character is being developed: longsuffering (“But the fruit of the Spirit is…longsuffering” Galatians 5:22); contentment (“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6); genuine faith tested by fire (“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” 1 Peter 1:6-7.) And that’s just to name a few.

In the wonderful world of waiting my earnest expectation can only come through God, because I can trust Him with all things pertaining to my life. Even if I have an expectancy in man, I have an even greater expectancy in God to move on the heart of man. Has that been a settled matter in your heart? Or do you find yourself tempted to buck, rise up, and help God out by doing your own thing? Lamentations 3:25 says, "It is good that one should hope and wait quietly, for the salvation of the Lord." Jumping ahead of God only prolongs the lesson of waiting and delays those character benchmarks that God has built into each of our personal curriculums.

Prayer: Jesus, there are days when I have prayed for certain things and You have delayed in answering. I know that You have the petitions that I have asked and be it Your will, You will answer those petitions. So as I wait I won’t murmur, complain, or make a dispute. I will put my confidence in You, because I trust in Yahweh. You said that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when desire comes it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12) You have reminded me Lord, that in between hope deferred and desire coming is that great word, wait! Let me wait with my eyes, mind, heart fixed upon You, as You perfect those character traits You desire to see in me. I love you Jesus and it’s in Your name I pray, Amen.
By Sis. Paula Smith