Waiting Patiently Upon The Lord
We live in an age of speed. We must make coffee, prepare meals – and even telephone overseas in less than a minute. We have become accustomed to the immediate results – perhaps that’s why we find it difficult to ‘wait on the Lord.’
A preacher once told a woman who sought his counsel about a serious matter: he told her ‘there are two options open to you, one is to take the decision in your own hands – this should bring an immediate solution, but may also result in a broken home. The second is to wait upon the Lord to provide the solution. Your patience may be severely tried, but in the end you will have a permanent and satisfactory solution’. To wait upon the Lord does not, however, imply passive submission, but an attitude of patience. Isaiah 40:28-31 talks about running well in the course of life: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding no-one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and grow weary and the young men stumble and fall. But those waiting upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary; they will walk and not faint.”
When you face an insurmountable problem and are in panic, remember that our Heavenly Father acts for the one who waits on Him. God does not make you wait in vain. Habakkuk was perplexed and impatient. First he complained to God about the evil of the Israelites (Hab 1:2-4). The Lord responded by saying that he would use the Babylonians to scourge them. The prophet raised a new problem – the Babylonians were much more wicked than Israel.
Though frustrated, Habakkuk did not panic or get in a rush – instead he showed reverence for God by waiting for Him to clear things. God spoke again and He assured the prophet that he would have to wait before seeing all the wrong made right. The delay was a trying time and a difficult experience for Habakkuk, but the answer eventually came and just at the right time. He exercised patience and faith, leaving the matter in the hands of God. God will reward us for our patience – but in His own time.
To earn an imperishable crown, we must wait on the Lord. Patience, self-control and laying aside sinful burdens are the secret tool of running well (as also referred to in the Psalms). Comforting words for those who patiently wait upon the Lord: they will be rewarded, ‘they will fly on wings like eagles and never grow tired.’
Bro. Nelson Anyals (Ahero, Kenya)
