Today’s devotion in the Mountaintop Mornings devotional is focused on waiting on the Lord.
Many people, today, are waiting on the Lord. Growing Christians, in general, are waiting on the Lord. This is one aspect of the Christian life; as we, Christians, live dependent on the Lord, maturing in our walk with Him. No matter our spiritual age, there is something in our life where we find ourselves waiting upon the Lord. For instance,
- Singles waiting upon the Lord for their future spouse.
- Married couples waiting upon the Lord for children, to have a family of their own.
- People waiting upon the Lord for a job.
- Waiting upon the Lord to buy a home.
- Pastors or teachers waiting upon the Lord in regards to the message they are going to share.
- Those who are sick, waiting upon the Lord for healing.
- Parents waiting upon the Lord in regards to prodigal children.
- Creatives waiting upon the Lord for inspiration for their work.
The Christian life is not lived by self-efficacy – us taking matters into our own hands – it is a God-dependent life.
We wait upon the Lord in regards to the matters before us, obeying Him in what He has called us to, aligning our hearts with Him and His timing.
God’s Agape Love in Waiting on the Lord
Truly, God’s agape love is witnessed in many different ways, and one way is in His promises given. His promises give us hope because they are backed by the power and honor of His name – Psalm 138:2 – He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. He is the God who supplies all of our needs from His glorious riches, given to us in Christ Jesus – Philippians 4:19. So, as we run the Christian race He has set before us, we have a confident expectation of God doing exactly what He said He would do. This frees us. The difficulty? God doesn’t necessarily tell us when He will do what He said He would do. That is when our confident expectation, our hope, gets tested.
When will this promise come to fruition?
Seriously, no one writes a better life story than Jesus Christ. His agape love is witnessed in the life stories He writes. He is so perfect and holy, just, not a kill-joy, absolutely merciful, with an enduring faithful love unmatched. He lives outside of time, holds time, and is in control of the timing in our life; which allows us to rest because He is love.
Waiting on the Lord Strengthens Us Mentally
Waiting on the Lord has a psychological component to it, as waiting hits our impulsive nature and waiting involves a length of time not specified. Our human brain naturally does better when the length of time we have to wait is mentioned. We can then pace ourselves. Think interval training. You go all out for a specified time, and then you rest for a specified time. What if you did not know the specified time? Would you go all out?
Think any race people participate in, isn’t the length of the race mentioned? If you’re signing up for a marathon you decide whether you want to race a full or a half, depending on where you are at training wise. When I rowed in college, our races were either 2,000 meters or 6,000 meters. I sat in a boat with 7 other rowers and a coxswain who called out the meters we had rowed and where we were at in regards to the boats we were racing. The coxswain telling us we had 250 meters to go, helped us mentally during the race. And if the coxswain didn’t we would get frustrated because there comes a point it is a mental game. “How much farther? My body is screaming, and I’m afraid it’s just going to stop. Seriously, how much farther?” It’s interesting because though God likens the Christian life to a race, He does not tell us how long our race will be. He does not tell us how long our seasons of waiting will be.
But He speaks to us. He ministers to our heart in a variety of ways. He shows up in our life. He opens our eyes to His presence. He opens our eyes to His word. He expands our understanding.
In this, He calls us to trust Him. Thus, waiting on the Lord strengthens us mentally, as we trust in God for His provision during the waiting period; as we wait for His perfect time.
Waiting on the Lord Grows our Faith
Waiting also challenges our faith when – in our head or said to a friend, “it’s not happening yet, why is this not happening. God said He would do this.” Our hope is challenged and some struggle with hopelessness because their reality does not match their faith, and then one may begin to question. And yet, it is right here where God grows our faith; for it was when Abraham patiently waited that he received the promise – Hebrews 6:15.
Only God knows the length of the waiting period we individually can endure, before we stumble or take matters into our own hands; for He created us. He knows we are human.
God is actually quite hilarious in the Bible because that “patiently waited” for Abraham was 25 years (and he sinned in that interim, taking matters into his own hands, which caused problems). How many people want to wait 25 years for the promise to be fulfilled? Not many. Especially in today’s world. We like now. But now does not necessarily grow our faith, it simply heightens our demand and builds pride. God is not in the business of building our pride, He is growing us into Christ Jesus’ image; advancing His Kingdom here on earth and in heaven.
Waiting on the Lord Increases our Knowledge of God
As we wait on the Lord, we renew our strength – Isaiah 40:31, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ – 2 Peter 3:18. For He is the strength of our life – Psalm 27:1. We, truly, learn more of Jesus Christ, as we seek Him in waiting periods because as we wait, He gives us more of Himself. We are transformed by the Word of God, not conformed to the world – Romans 12:2. We learn more of the Trinity; we love others and do not become spiritually dull – Hebrews 6:11-12. In this, we grow in endurance and learn how to endure to the end – Matthew 24:13.
In conclusion, in this Christian race of life, we all face different seasons, at different appointed times, with varying intensities of difficulty, sadness, bone weary exhaustion, joyful celebration, excitement, anticipation, apathy, boredom, and so forth and with each season comes waiting periods between the promise and the promise fulfilled. Which leads one to ask the question: What is God calling you to do while you wait?
Mountaintop Mornings Devotional – Waiting on the Lord
February 14
What is God calling you to do while you wait?
Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD. * For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night. * So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. * Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. * Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. * The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. * Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. * For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. * Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. * But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. * But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Psalm 27:14 NASB * Psalm 90:4 NASB * Psalm 90:12 NASB * Ephesians 5:15-16 NASB * Romans 13:11 NASB * 2 Peter 3:9 NASB * Galatians 6:9 NASB * Habakkuk 2:3 NASB * Colossians 4:5-6 NASB * 2 Peter 3:8 NASB * 2 Peter 3:18 NASB
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