Wait On The LORD
What does it mean to wait on the Lord
Dear #DailyFollower,
Introduction
Still on tarrying…
Interestingly, in the five days since publishing the newsletter about the power of tarrying, I have had other thoughts about the art and practice of following Jesus daily.
However, as I meditate and sit down, the Holy Spirit opens my mind to more things I need to share about the art and practice of waiting patiently on the LORD.
That’s why three out of the last newsletters (that includes this one), since the power of tarrying, have stayed with the subject of patiently waiting on the LORD. That’s four newsletters in five days on waiting (see what happens when we wait, the third piece on waiting, and walk, run, fly, soar - the progressive transitions enabled by waiting on God).
So, what does it mean to wait on the LORD?
Wait on the LORD
Is it looking unto Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith?
Is abstaining from food and pleasures in fasting and praying seasons?
Is it putting our hope in God as our salvation - past, present and future?
Is it trusting Him for the manifestation of His promises yet to be fulfilled in our lives?
What does it mean to wait on the LORD?
Waiting on the Lord is a combination of all these things (and some more):
It means focusing on Jesus as our all, the source of everything we will ever need for life and godliness.
It is surrender, which we can access through submitting our flesh to God when we fast and pray.
It also means to hope in God as the Saviour who redeems us for past sins, upholds us in righteousness in the present and gives us eternal life.
It is placing our confidence in His ability to fulfil His promises and to always act in our favour.
However, as I meditated some more on waiting on the LORD, God’s Spirit began to reveal to me that it is also a combination of these three vital things:
Waiting in God
Waiting for God
Waiting with God
So, here’s the waiting formula:
Waiting on the LORD = Waiting in God + Waiting for God + Waiting with God
Let’s break each one down.
To wait in God is to stay in His Word until we get a revelation from God in His Word.
It is the act of waiting patiently to draw out the revealed Word from the written Word.
To wait for God is to stand still for His Spirit to move and orchestrate God’s decrees.
It is the act of waiting patiently to see God work through situations to fulfil His counsel.
To wait with God is to place our entire hope in God as the sole executor of His Word.
It is the act of total surrender to God as the channel through which He performs His will.
The stories of Simon and Anna in Luke 2:25-38 provide a picture of a patriarch and matriarch that:
Found in God’s Word the basis for their waiting for the manifestation of Jesus.
Prayed as led by God’s Spirit for the manifestation of the promise of Jesus.
Trusted God completely to see the manifestation of God’s promise.
Conclusion
Waiting on the LORD is vital for access to the strength we need to:
Walk and not become tired; when we do that consistently and long enough,
We run, and we do not need rest; when we also do this consistently long enough,
Then, we fly and soar as an eagle on the wind gusts of life’s challenging situations.
To successfully wait on the LORD, we must:
Wait with God, knowing He is with us through the waiting season and will perform all He has promised,
Wait for God, knowing that He has a plan that is much greater than our most dedicated efforts and
Wait in God, finding His Word that directly speaks to the areas of life where we seek to see Him move.
When we apply the waiting formula to our waiting seasons, we find reasons to be joyful all through the wait, and we see God fulfil His promise to us in His due time.
One last thing: each component of the waiting formula requires action—digging into God’s Word, partnering with God’s Spirit, and depending on God. These are active spiritual exercises we engage in when we wait to access knowledge, understanding, and wisdom for practical physical actions we must also take while we wait.
Waiting on the LORD is not passive; it is the most active thing we can do in any waiting season.
Yours faithfully,
John, a #DailyFollower.
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