Wait Patiently
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Last week, we looked at God's command to let His peace rule in our hearts. This week, I would like to follow up with another command of God that is similar and just as hard to do at times. When we go through difficult times and have to wait for a solution or answer, we need to "wait patiently."
In the last seven days, I have had need to go to the Emergency Department of the hospital, twice. As most of us know, a trip to the Emergency Department can be, to say the least, trying. On my first trip, after waiting for five hours, I was sent home with medication that I have been already been taking regularly. I was informed that the Emergency Departments do not order MRIs any longer, unless they deem the situation extreme. I was told to call my personal care physician, ask for an appointment and have him order an MRI. The earliest I could see my doctor was the following week. When, within a couple of days, the symptoms worsened, we returned to the Emergency Department. This trip to the hospital, they ordered an MRI, however, it was twelve hours before I was admitted and taken to a room. Without going into more details, I am sure you can understand that I needed both peace and patience. I spent two days in the hospital, which explains why my post is being put on the site later than usual this week. However, I am hopeful, at this time, that medically, my health/pain issues will be more manageable.
Before we begin our study of what the Scriptures reveal to us about "waiting patiently", let's look at a few verses in Psalm 40. We will look at verses 1 through 5,8,10, 12 and 13. (NLT), "For the choir director: A psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. 4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. 5 O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. ... 8 I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart." ... 10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness. ... 12 For troubles surround me--too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can't see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage. 13 Please, LORD, rescue me! Come quickly, LORD, and help me." Verses 1 and 2 reveal the deep dark place David was in when he 'waited patiently' and cried out to the Lord for help. He was in a pit of despair or destruction and felt as though stuck in miry clay or mud. David was feeling very low. Then we read in verses 3 through 5 what happens when God responds to our cry for help. David had a new song of praise to sing. In verse 4, David wrote, 'the man who trusts in the Lord is blessed with happiness'. Verse 5 lets us know God did many wonders for them; so many, in fact, David could not tell of them all. So, we have noted that David tells of experiencing low dark times and times of great highs! In verse 8, David relates that he delights or takes joy in doing the Lord's will. Note in verse 10, David wrote that he has told everyone about the unfailing love and faithfulness of the Lord. Looking at verse 12 however, we see another battle for him as another low tries to crowd out the goodness of the Lord. he says, 'troubles surround me, my sins are piled so high, I can't see my way out, and I have lost all courage.' Lastly, David called out for the Lord's help once again in verse 13.
We need to realize that King David (a man after God's heart) was no different than you or me. Tell me honestly, could you see yourself in and relate to David as we read these scriptures? I sure did. David lived through times of great struggles where he did not feel victorious. Yet, he did not allow those times of trouble and discouragement to keep him down. He continued to turn his face back to his loving Lord for help and rescue.
As we talked about letting peace rule last week, and today begin to look at 'waiting patiently', we need to understand that we may not always be successful at living constantly in that place. When we fail, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, repent, keep our eyes of Jesus, and keep on keeping on.
We are just as human as David, and like him, we need to be just as quick to admit out failures and walk on with God.
Let's see more of what the Word says about 'waiting and having patience,' Again, Psalm 40:1 (NLT), " I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. " David proclaims he had to wait patiently for the Lord to help. The phrase 'waited patiently' is translated from the Hebrew word 'qava' and means: to wait, look eagerly for, hope, and expect. The Amplified Bible states the verse this way - "I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord." When we 'wait patiently' for the Lord then, it means we look eagerly with hope and an expectancy for God's intervention.
Micah also gave us a creed for a crisis in Micah 7:7 (NLT), " As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me." Wow, how encouraging is that? I look to the Lord, I wait (waiting expectantly or with anticipation) for God to save, and God will hear!
Psalm 37:7a (NLT), "Be still (rest) in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act." The phrase 'wait patiently' is an imperative and its meaning is wait longingly for him to act. The Hebrew for 'still' (rest, in the King James Version) is damam and according to the Gesenises Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, as it is used in this verse, means: "to be silent for Jehovah, patiently, and with confidence expecting his aid." We gain such a greater understanding of the scriptures, when we look at the Hebrew meanings of the word!
Psalm 130:5 in the Amplified Bible states, "I wait (patiently) for the Lord, my soul (expectantly) waits, and in His word do I hope."
The insight these verses give us is that we participate in "waiting patiently." However, what we must realize is that our waiting and being patient is not passive or static. It is active. In the Scriptures, 'waiting' is to look eagerly, to expect, and to hope. To be 'patient' means to endure, bear bravely and calmly, and to remain steadfast.
In order for us to increase our success in waiting patiently, we would do well to increase our faith through reading and knowing the Word of God. With increased faith, we elevate our trust that His Word never fails or returns void. (Isaiah 55:11)
Romans 15:4 (NLT), "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled."
Hebrews 10:36 (ESV), "For you have need of endurance (patience, in the King James Version), so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised." The Greek for 'patience' in this verse is hypomone, meaning: steadfastness, constancy, and endurance. You see, the verse tells us that we "need" patience, endurance, and steadfastness, not that it might be a good idea if we 'could' be patient, or that we should 'try' to be patient once in a while.
Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV), " But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." The Hebrew word for wait is qava, which means endure, look for, hope, and expect.
God always fulfills His promises, however as we look at the following Scriptures, we might understand better why we sometimes have struggles with our issues and God's intervention or seemingly lack of such.
Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NLT), " I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint. 2 Then the LORD said to me, "Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. 3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed."
2 Peter 3:8 (NLT), " But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day."
We have to remember when beseeching the Lord, that His timing is always perfect.
Noah waited approximately 75 years for the rain (according to God's proclamation) (Hebrews 11:7)
Abraham waited 25 years to see the beginning of the fulfillment of God's proclamation that he would be the Father of many nations, when his son Isaac was born. (Hebrews 6:15)
David waited 15 1/2 to 20 years, from the time he was anointed to be King, until He was recognized by all the tribes of Israel as King. (2 Samuel 2:1-5 through 5:5)
Joseph waited 22 years from the time of the dreams till the fulfillment of them when he revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt. (Genesis 45:7)
When we get discouraged by what seems to us to be unnecessary delays in receiving answers to prayer, remember....God's timing is perfect. He is never early and never late.
We know that trouble will come. John 16:33b (NKJV), " In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
1 Samuel 26:24 (NKJV), "And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation."
We have the promise of God's deliverance or salvation from those troubles. Patient endurance is hard but we have to come to the patient endurance that only God can give.
Hebrews 13:20 and 21 (NLT), "Now may the God of peace--who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood-- 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen."
Romans 8:27,28 (NLT), " And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
Luke 21:19 (NKJV), " By your patience possess your souls." The NLT states "you will win your souls."
Our flesh is sometimes loud and usually quite selfish, but fellow believers, we can depend on the promises and power of the Holy Spirit to help us be obedient to God's command to "Wait Patiently."
We can do this!
NLT - New Living Translation
NKJV - New King James Version
ESV - English Standard Version