Jesus’ Presence: Waiting on the Lord

A friend sent me this photo of her devotional for today and it started me on a Word study of waiting on the Lord.It is so appropriate during this time of quarantine due COVID-19 that we take more time to be in the Word, remind ourselves what it means to wait on the Lord, and the benefits of waiting.

Generally speaking, we don’t like waiting. We live in our hi-tech, can’t-stand-to-wait-a-minute-for-the-microwave society. I don’t presume to know God’s reasons for allowing this virus to happen, but it is an opportunity for us, as believers, to be about our Father’s business in ways many don’t normally have the time to do. Spending more time in our Father’s presence and in His Word alone, as a couple, and as a family. Time to perhaps re-evaluate some life choices, schedules, and make some new habits. Time to read those books we’ve been too busy to read, complete those projects (crafts, home improvement, etc.), play games, and enjoy each other. Reach out to others via text, video chats, or even snail mail.

I will admit I have been a bit of a lump this last week myself. I have been getting some writing done, but not much else and otherwise I’ve been a bit blah. Not totally depressed, just eh. I awoke today with a good attitude. Yay God! Needing a good (social distancing) prayer walk today. Maybe a little spring cleaning, too. And getting started on my Easter “He is Risen” porch sign.

Waiting. Sometimes I feel like I have spent my whole life waiting for something. I guess in a sense we all are; we’re anticipating Jesus’ return. I think it’s a longing implanted in our hearts by Holy Spirit. But maybe there’s more to the waiting I’m feeling. Waiting on God’s timing in His calling and purpose for my life. I often try to run ahead of Him. Sometimes waiting out of doubt or fear when He has shown me what He does want me to do. Either way I could benefit from more waiting on the the Lord (lingering in His presence) in prayer and in the Word. It’s too easy to rush through our time with the Lord. But the waiting time, the lingering time, is the best and most beneficial time of all! I think that’s why it is the hardest to learn. It requires us to be still and quiet. Something very hard for us to do. I am better at it than I used to be. I used to need to have the TV on all day for the “company.” Now I can enjoy the quiet and often grumble when the silence is broken. The silence gives me opportunity to converse with God throughout my day and to hear Him speaking back to me.

25The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. 26It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Lamentations 3:25-26

Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
Psalm 27:14

I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.
Psalm 130:5

Waiting on the Lord is good. Why? Because His Word is true. He is trustworthy. He gives us hope, strength, and courage to face the waiting in our circumstances. We must learn patience in the waiting. Like it or not, patience is a fruit of the Spirit we must grow (Galatians 5:22-23).

28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He never grows faint or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out. 29He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. 30Even youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall. 31But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31

This is one of my favorite passages! So much richness in just a few verses.

The Lord is everlasting God
Our Creator
He NEVER grows weary or faint
His knowledge is beyond our comprehension
He gives His power and strength to the faint and weak
To those who wait upon Him he gives the ability to soar above their circumstances
To run the race, to walk the life of a disciple

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
Luke 18:1

Impatience can cause us to stop praying if we don’t get the answers to our prayers in our time frame. Jesus tells us to keep praying and never give up. I know God has His own timing, but if it involves other people, it can take as long as it takes for them to cooperate with Holy Spirit. We all have free will. God can use people and circumstances to try to turn someone around, but they have a choice, just like we do. When we’re praying regarding relationships with other people, we need to make sure we’re praying for oursleves and our own attitudes as well. Sometimes the waiting is because we are the hold up. We are the ones needing an attitude adjustment.

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 16-18

9Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
Galatians 6:9-10

so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
Hebrews 9:28

1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4So while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5And God has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.

6Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. 7For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Another thing about waiting that is implanted in our DNA as God’s children is eternity. Whether it’s at Jesus’ return or when we die, we look forward to eternity in His presence! We don’t want to be so in love with this life that it overshadows that anticipation. It is that longing that should spur our desire to spread the Gospel to see people saved and lives changed forever! So though we wait with anticipation, we don’t mind waiting, even if it means suffering at times, because we know it means we have more opportunities to see souls saved.

Blessings of Hope and Joy,
Julia

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