My soul is struck with terror, but You, Oh, Lord - how long? (v.3)..
Waiting. Is it okay to tap your foot while you wait on God? Not tapping in impertinence but just for something to do in the often quiet period of waiting for His answer. I know that is better than going ahead with my own plans. I have done that with very unfortunate results. But there are just some times when, like David, we cry out to God and in the midst of it cannot think of anything else to say but "How long?" I can hear the desperation in his voice. He is terrified of the onslaught that is rolling downhill toward him and, well, he keeps praying this prayer, so, where is God? How long is this going to take? God, my God, are you listening?
I wish I knew why God makes us wait sometimes. I mean, I understand that since He has the full picture He knows past, present and future all at once. Time is not progressing for Him, but He sees it all at once. He is, after all, the God who was, who is and who is to come. Knowledge of His prescience should give us confidence that all will be well, but most often it makes us wonder why He feels the need to test our metal.
Waiting refines us. Just think about it. Here in Southern California, we wait on traffic and deal with our own road rage. Why does waiting make us rage? Because we have no control. Ouch. We want to tell God what to do to fix our situation and when, which is always now. The biggest messes of my life have come about because I went on without God. Trust me. You would rather wait on Him. And wait on Him for His plan, which almost always looks a whole lot different from yours.
Those who wait upon 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. (Isaiah 40) This seems counterintuitive. Waiting renews our strength. It makes most of us angry. But what if we waited without expectation? What if we went before the Lord without our own preconceived plans about how He was going to make things work out? What if we just said: "My God shall supply all my needs through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" and meant it with no strings attached?
I love the story of the wedding at Cana. The hosts run out of wine for the wedding guests. Embarrassing. Mary, the mother of Jesus, gets wind of it and tells Jesus the predicament. Then she tells the servants to do "whatever He tells you to." Not giving her son some advice. Not telling the disciples to go down to Albertson's and pick up some wine. No preconceived ideas about how her son, The Christ, will accomplish great wine where there is none. Just - "Do what He tells you to do." It worked out great! Best wine of the wedding. Made from water in ceremonial washing jars. Who would have thought?
Waiting today? Maybe even in your anguish? Hold on. Hold on tight. Wait without specific expectation because in His answer, God will blow your mind. He will thrill you and you will feel you have mounted up with the eagles and are soaring above the circumstances. This is not euphemistic. I believe it! You are not in God's waiting room for nothing.
Waiting. Is it okay to tap your foot while you wait on God? Not tapping in impertinence but just for something to do in the often quiet period of waiting for His answer. I know that is better than going ahead with my own plans. I have done that with very unfortunate results. But there are just some times when, like David, we cry out to God and in the midst of it cannot think of anything else to say but "How long?" I can hear the desperation in his voice. He is terrified of the onslaught that is rolling downhill toward him and, well, he keeps praying this prayer, so, where is God? How long is this going to take? God, my God, are you listening?
I wish I knew why God makes us wait sometimes. I mean, I understand that since He has the full picture He knows past, present and future all at once. Time is not progressing for Him, but He sees it all at once. He is, after all, the God who was, who is and who is to come. Knowledge of His prescience should give us confidence that all will be well, but most often it makes us wonder why He feels the need to test our metal.
Waiting refines us. Just think about it. Here in Southern California, we wait on traffic and deal with our own road rage. Why does waiting make us rage? Because we have no control. Ouch. We want to tell God what to do to fix our situation and when, which is always now. The biggest messes of my life have come about because I went on without God. Trust me. You would rather wait on Him. And wait on Him for His plan, which almost always looks a whole lot different from yours.
Those who wait upon 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. (Isaiah 40) This seems counterintuitive. Waiting renews our strength. It makes most of us angry. But what if we waited without expectation? What if we went before the Lord without our own preconceived plans about how He was going to make things work out? What if we just said: "My God shall supply all my needs through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" and meant it with no strings attached?
I love the story of the wedding at Cana. The hosts run out of wine for the wedding guests. Embarrassing. Mary, the mother of Jesus, gets wind of it and tells Jesus the predicament. Then she tells the servants to do "whatever He tells you to." Not giving her son some advice. Not telling the disciples to go down to Albertson's and pick up some wine. No preconceived ideas about how her son, The Christ, will accomplish great wine where there is none. Just - "Do what He tells you to do." It worked out great! Best wine of the wedding. Made from water in ceremonial washing jars. Who would have thought?
Waiting today? Maybe even in your anguish? Hold on. Hold on tight. Wait without specific expectation because in His answer, God will blow your mind. He will thrill you and you will feel you have mounted up with the eagles and are soaring above the circumstances. This is not euphemistic. I believe it! You are not in God's waiting room for nothing.
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