Waiting on the Lord, Part 2

Waiting on the Lord, Part 2

Sept 29, 2008

"In the Waiting Room of God"

Isaiah 40:31 "but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

For some reason, the Lord doesn't seem to answer all of our prayers instantly. We are a demanding society, where we want everything yesterday. When we pray, we are programmed to think the answer to the prayer will happen just as a genie in a bottle would grant a wish (instantly, and with sparkle dust). But the Lord does not suffer to work in our time frame. His ways are not our ways and His timing is not our timing. When the Lord is in charge there might be a wait involved. This puts us in a "waiting room," a place where there is nothing to do but "wait upon the Lord."

This is exactly where God wants us, in His waiting room. But there is something actually going on while we wait. God does not put us in the waiting room to punish us or to show us who's boss. He puts us in waiting for a reason; it is for our benefit. The verse, "those who wait upon the Lord," does not actually mean to sit and just wait for His timing. The word "wait" is translated in the Bible from the word "qavah," which has two facets to its meaning. It means to wait, as in anticipation, but it also means to tie or bind together (like a cord or rope being woven together from several strands ready for future use). The rope gets its strength from the multiple stands drawing upon each other. In the verse, "Those who wait upon the Lord..." can be understood as "those who are patient and bound together with the Lord can anticipate a renewing of their strength."

This gives you something to do while you are in God's waiting room; allow Him to weave Himself into every fabric of your life. Instead of just reading those magazines in the waiting room, try binding yourself together with the Lord for future use. Not only might He answer the prayer that you've been waiting for, He might also strengthen you for a future use beyond any of your own personal capabilities. The reason we are waiting for His answer is so that He may also work on us in the mean time.

He figures He's got our attention since we are in prayer to Him, so why not use our attention span for some work? His desire is to make us into the men and women of God that He needs us to be. And if the only way He can do that is by making us wait, then so be it. Allow this time for yourself to be bound together with Him, you'll be amazed at the things you and the Lord can do together. Your new "cord" will have four strands, The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit, and you. Oh the strength that your cord will have. The reason you'll have renewed strength is because you'll need it up ahead.

After you've renewed your strength it will be time to use it. But don't worry, you'll be transformed and be able "mount up on eagles wings;" you will be able to "run and not get tired..."

1. Are you waiting on the Lord for something?
2. Are you allowing yourself to be bound to Him while you wait?

Additional Scriptures for Study: Psalm 27:14, Ecc 4:12, Lamentation 3:26