Do remember when you were young, so often being full of anticipation, yet having to wait.  You were waiting for Christmas, waiting for your birthday, waiting to be old enough to stay up past 9pm, waiting for school to get out, waiting for you drivers permit, waiting for graduation, waiting, waiting, waiting.  Do you remember your parents saying, "Wait till you get older, then you will..?"

Waiting is a big part of growing up and maturing.  It is also a big part of growing in the Lord.  Scripture often expresses the importance of waiting for the Lord - waiting for Him to communicate, waiting for Him to lead, waiting for Him to make the next move.  We are encouraged to wait expectantly, believing that God will in fact act. 

In Hebrew, "To wait for the Lord" can also often be translated to "Hope in the Lord." (40:31)  To wait in hope for the Lord, is to express faith in Him.  It is to declare - by lack of striving - that you believe that God will act in your behalf.  Waiting expresses trust; it is an opportunity to renew your faith and spiritual strength in the Lord, rather than focus upon yourself.

When we wait and hope we become more alert.  Our sense of anticipation increases (like that of a child).  Our focus on what the Lord may do sharpens.  We wait and we hope and we watch.  Habakkuk watched to see what the Lord might say in response to his questioning. (Habakkuk 2:1)

God uses waiting to increase our faith and our reliance upon Him.  It is often very hard work.  It requires discipline and self-restraint, but it is well worth it.  While we are waiting, God is working.  He is bringing situations and circumstances together, to a place of maturity.  He is working toward the right time.  When we learn to wait, when we exercise our waiting skills well, we find much more God in our daily lives.  We find ourselves in many "at just the right time" moments.  We see God interventions and orchestrations.  Such living is a supernatural journey; it's what God intended; it is eternal life here and now.  It opens the way to know and experience God. (John 17:3)

What are you waiting for in God?  Is it a spouse, relief or a job?  Recall and recount those things  for which you are waiting to your Father in heaven.  And, discipline yourself to stay the course.  Wait, hope and watch - your God will show Himself at just the right time, in just the right way.  You will be so glad you waited!  You will know that you are loved and that God is strong and very real.

Alert and Waiting with you,

Pastor Tom

tgriffith@rolcboston.org 

www.rolcboston.org