04/27/2018
The most uncertain of victories will be won by the Lord because He is great beyond measure. How patient is our faith in this; His victory? Are we waiting in total confidence for Him to act? When those around us challenge our patience in God we can be moved to take matters into our own hands, and to abandon our assurance in His promise. In such times I look to scripture and hold tight to it.
“Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."”
Isaiah 49:23 ESV
The unbelieving heathens who confront us take pleasure in their taunting, or claiming victory, while we are waiting on God to act on our behalf. They attempt to shame us in our faith, and use such situations as their tool. Yet in our waiting we are strengthened, and our faith is bolstered all the more when our patience is rewarded. The kings and queens that have attempted to rule over you will be defeated.
“O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”
Psalms 25:2-5 ESV
When you are a man or woman of faith those around you are inclined to be jealous of your joy and the peace you have in the Lord. Then, as they see their own life and the turmoil and frustration it brings them, they become embittered by how at ease you are in God, and the rest you find in Jesus Christ. It is in this envy that they foster hatred, and attempt to use your love for others, and your assurance of every good outcome, against you. In the midst of ungodly attack it is hard for us to wait, but that is exactly what our faith demands...
“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
Isaiah 30:18 ESV
It is hard for us to be patient and wait because human nature is not inclined to be this way. We like immediate gratification. Why do you think our society today has become as it is... a throw away culture, a people of instant answers, selfish generations that builds buildings in a few years instead of centuries.... all of our structures last decades... not thousands of years, and our friendships and marriages are no better. We live and build for ourselves alone, with little thought of our children and those who follow us. This is the way of the serpent in the garden; this is the way of he who is in the earth. This unrelenting desire for immediate reward is what our enemies use against us and our faith.
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.”
Psalms 37:7-9 ESV
Wait on the Lord, and place confidence in Him... even if we find ourselves waiting our entire lives. Waiting is not stopping and sitting under a tree... waiting is a journey full of promise and lessons. Waiting is continuing on in life knowing that God will live up to His Word. I look at Pentecost and find great encouragement and instruction in waiting. Jesus told his disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait...
“And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."”
Acts 1:4-5 ESV
This sounds like they are to just hang around and do nothing while they wait, but is that really what they did? No, they encouraged one another, and joined together in prayer... they were actively strengthening their faith and encouraging God to send what Jesus had told them would come.
“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
Acts 1:14 ESV
I have often wondered what they thought was about to happen. Did they have a clue what being baptized in the Holy Spirit really meant? Did they think that they would merely be surrounded by light and hear God speak? Did they think, as Peter did, that they would simply be told what was to come?
“"Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.”
Acts 1:16 ESV
I wonder how surprised they were when their time of waiting came to an end and the Holy Spirit came...
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:1-4 ESV
When we wait, as we are instructed to do, we are often surprised by what actually happens. Sometimes the answer we are expecting comes larger than our dreams in tongues of fire instead of the simple raise in salary we had asked God for, or maybe the removal of an organ when we prayed for God to heal a cancer. However it comes, the waiting is what increases our faith, and gives us strength in our times of hardship and suffering. Life continues on, and we continue on it as we wait. Waiting is a journey.
Do we wait? How do we wait? Does our faith continue growing as we walk with Him? Are our prayers offered in encouragement, obedience, and assurance as we continue on in our pilgrimage; waiting on the answers to our prayers? Waiting isn’t doing nothing... it is actively seeking God as we patiently wait in absolute faith to see how He answers us.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the journey of faith, and the times when we wait for your answer to our prayers, and needs. Thank you Holy Father for the example that Pentecost provides to us of obedient waiting, and of continued prayer. Your provisions and responses to our prayers often come in surprising forms Lord, but as we wait on them our faith gathers strength in anticipation of your promise... regardless of whether it is a quiet whisper, or boldly in tongues of fire, your answer amazes us. Merciful Father, we are often confronted by those who would do us harm because of our faith in you and Jesus Christ... help us to wait through those times of suffering, and know that the day is coming when we will be lifted up and given victory in our faithfulness. In the times when our enemies take pleasure in their dominance of us, remind us that this is fleeting, and that rescue is on the horizon, for we are the children of the Great King! You defeat our adversaries Lord, and the glory of those moments rush over us in loud praise and worship as we lift you up. No matter my hardship or pain along the road I walk, I have faith in your salvation, and confidence in my ability to endure everything through faith in you. You are faithful always, and Holy beyond measure. Your arm is strong, and none can stand up against you... you are my champion, and my strong tower. Praised be your name, and wonderful my wait on you.
Rich Forbes