How well do you handle “waiting on the Lord”? Do you have an “I’m waiting … I’m waiting …” while you drum your fingers on the table attitude? Or do you ever find yourself thinking, “I’ve prayed, but nothing seems to be happening!”
Why does God allow us to wait, anyway? Can “waiting on the Lord” be a good thing? Can we learn to trust Him … really trust Him as a result? And if so, how? See today’s reading from Psalm 27.
Also, read about God’s leadership qualifications (*hint: we’re all leaders, even as moms and dads), why we can’t approach God based on our own good works, and why knowing God’s attributes or character qualities is so important to our walks of faith.
Welcome, to “God’s Word Day by Day.” This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each day’s post and a list of all the Bible readings so you can check them off as you go. You’ll also find the daily posts on YouTube. The daily emails now have a link to both these Soul Survival posts and the YouTube videos. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here.
Today’s Readings:
Leviticus 21 & 22
Psalm 27.10-14
Proverbs 10.13-16
Mark 5.21-43
4 Keys to Waiting on the Lord
Psalm 27.10-14:
I Would Have Lost Heart
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
When are we most tempted to lose heart? It’s often when we’re faced with difficult circumstances or life isn’t going the way we thought it should. Maybe we’re being attacked in some way and God doesn’t seem to be answering our prayers.
David said he would have lost heart if he didn’t believe in the goodness of the Lord, not just in the promise of heaven, but here and now … in the land of the living.
Tribulation Comes to Us All
Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean that all our problems come to an end or that we don’t encounter new ones. In fact, Jesus said:
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
We will have tribulation. And even though He exhorted us to be of good cheer because He is still sovereignly in control, we’re sometimes tempted to lose heart, become impatient, or take matters into our own hands.
We fail to trust that He knows what’s best and will bring it to pass in His perfect timing. We fail to believe in His goodness, at least toward us.
God’s Faithfulness
David had problems. He had enemies. But he believed that God’s faithfulness and goodness would prevail.
We, too, can go through troubles knowing that God will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13.5), that he will not give us more than we can handle without sinning (1 Cor. 10.13), and that He is using them for good (Rom. 8.28). We can remember that we are not alone, that others have gone through and are going through similar trials (1 Cor. 10.13), and that we can count it all joy knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance, patience, and maturity (Jas. 1.2-4). And as Jesus said, we can be of good cheer knowing that He has overcome them all!
Psalm 27.14 tells us twice to “wait on the Lord.” This is not to be an “I’m waiting … I’m waiting … I’m waiting for You to do something, Lord!” while we drum our fingers on the table! This is a patient waiting and trusting in the Lord and His timing. It’s a waiting that actually causes us to grow while we wait.
We can’t do that apart from a saving relationship with Him. But even then, there are things we can do to grow in our faith and trust while we’re waiting.
So, how can we cooperate with what God is doing so our faith grows during those times?
How Do We Get There?
How do we go from knowing these truths to KNOWING these truths? Here are 4 keys to growing in the waiting:
- We need to learn what God says about our area of struggle. Use a concordance or a website like BibleGateway.com or BlueLetterBible to find appropriate verses. Search by subject or keyword. You can start with the verses listed above.
- Memorize verses that resonate with you. I can hear the groans now, “But I just can’t memorize!” We memorize our social security numbers, our addresses, our phone numbers, and much more. We can memorize what’s important to us.
- Learn to meditate on verses and passages of Scripture. Meditation is simply thinking deeply about a verse, thinking about each word or phrase. Rolling it over in your mind. If you have memorized a verse you can easily think about it throughout the day. If not, write it on a 3 x 5 card and carry it with you, referring to it in those “little moments” waiting in line, etc.
- Read a good book on the attributes of God. Remember David was convinced of the absolute “goodness” of God. I have listed three at the bottom of this section. You can also view a great series on God’s attributes by Dr. Steven Lawson free of charge. I’ve added the link below.
He Strengthens Our Hearts
Why not sit down and open your bible or check out BibleGateway or BlueLetterBible. Look at what God has to say to you. Begin memorizing passages of Scripture and spend time thinking deeply about them. Get to know God better. When we understand the essential character of God, it becomes easier and easier to trust him.
And while we are to be faithful to focus on God and His Word and seek to know Him better, as verse 14 reminds us, it’s God Himself who strengthens our hearts.
Five years ago Mike and I had a huge opportunity to wait on and trust in the Lord. You can read about it here, “Why We Can Rejoice in Suffering”
3 Great Books About the Attributes of God:
It’s Not Fair!: Finding Hope When Times Are Tough by Wayne Mack
The Attributes of God Volume 1 with Study Guide: A Journey Into the Father’s Heart by A.W. Tozer
The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink
Today’s Other Readings:
Leviticus 21 & 22:
Standards for Leaders
In Leviticus 21, we see the high standards that were set for the priests. Some seem strange without understanding some historical background. Others might even seem unfair by today’s standards but remember the priests were to be representatives and types of Jesus Himself.
First, they were told not to shave their heads or cut their beards or their flesh (Lev. 21.5). These were pagan practices associated with grief. God does not forbid mourning. In fact, Solomon said, there is a “time to mourn” (Eccl. 3.4) and Paul said we should, “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12.15). And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5.4).
But the priests had to stay focused on their responsibilities to God. They couldn’t defile themselves by coming near a dead body and could not mourn excessively or follow pagan practices.
God’s Holy Priesthood Today
As God’s holy priesthood today, we are not to mourn like the world, as those who are without hope (1 Thess. 4.13). We need to remember that those who die in Christ will be with the Lord and we will be reunited with them one day. And as we minister to others, we need to comfort and encourage them with the same truths.
We must be careful though. We cannot give people false hope. Those who die without Christ do not have that same assurance. That should drive us to share the gospel more faithfully.
Above Reproach
The priests were, also, to be above reproach in their marriages (Lev. 21.7-8). As believers, we too should seek to bring God glory in our marriages and families. Ephesians tells us marriage should be a picture of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church (Eph. 5.22-33).
God has always required more from those who would lead and teach His people. In the New Testament Paul said elders or bishops (the words are used interchangeably) were to be blameless.
They were to have only one wife, in other words not be polygamists. Their children could not be rebellious. They were not to be: headstrong, quick to get angry, drunkards, violent, or greedy. Instead, they were to be: hospitable, lovers of what is good, take things seriously, be just, be holy, and exercise self-control. They were to hold fast to the Word of God and sound doctrine. They were to be above reproach and in a position to exhort others to live holy lives (Tit. 1.5-9).
We Are All Leaders & Priests
Now let’s look a little closer at two other verses in Leviticus 21:
16 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
Remember, the priesthood pictures spiritual truths. We, too, can only come to God without defect, not physically but spiritually. That is impossible even for redeemed sinners like us in our own strength.
It’s only by being in Christ and understanding that we come to Him, not on the basis of any good works or goodness in us, but because of His righteousness that we can approach the throne of grace. When we pray “in Jesus name” (Jn. 16.26), we are acknowledging that fact.
So while we may not all be leaders in the church, the workplace, or the world, we are all leaders in various ways, especially if we have children. And if we belong to Him, we are part of a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2.9-10).
Let’s seek to grow in those characteristics that will cause others to see the light of Christ in us. May we guard our hearts and minds against the corruption of this world. And may we be quick to repent and seek forgiveness from God and others when we fail.
Proverbs 10.13-16:
Rich or Poor
If you have been reading through Proverbs with me, you know it’s full of comparisons. Verse 15 is an interesting one:
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The rich think their wealth will protect them, while the poor are more apt to recognize that they have nothing on which to rely. But in reality, both can be a snare.
Proverbs 30.8-9 says:
Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.
No matter where we are financially, we need to rely on the Lord and put our faith and trust in Him and Him alone.
Mark 5.21-43:
Only Believe!
This passage contains two very familiar stories. Jesus encounters two people in great need, Jairus and the woman with an issue of blood. Jairus’ daughter was at the point of death and the woman had a constant internal bleeding which doctors couldn’t stop.
The woman with the issue of blood believed if she could just touch His robe, she would be made well. And when Jesus asked, “Who touched my garments?” He wasn’t trying to uncover something He didn’t already know. This was simply a great teaching opportunity.
He told the woman, “Your faith has made you well” (Mk. 5.34). This could also be translated, “Your faith has made you whole.” This “wholeness” applied to the spiritual, as well as, the physical.
While Jesus ministered to the woman, messengers came to Jairus telling him it was too late; his daughter was dead. But Jesus told him, “… only believe” (MK. 5.36). Again, faith was required. The verb used here denotes continuous action in the present. Jairus believed enough to come to Jesus in the first place, but he needed to maintain that faith.
So should we. Yet sometimes even though we’ve trusted God with our souls and our eternity, we stop trusting when it comes to our finances, our marriages, or our children! We take matters into our own hands or simply lose heart, instead of waiting on God and His timing.
Is there some area where you have quit believing? Look once again at the 4 keys to “growing in the waiting,” get to know God better, and allow Him to grow your faith and trust in Him.
Prayer:
Lord, help us to continue to believe, to have that confident settled trust in You in every circumstance. We ask for Your grace and help in the name of Your Son. Amen.
For Further Study:
If you’re anxious because of waiting on the Lord or some other circumstance, you might want to check out this series on dealing with anxiety.
Introduction: Winning the Battle over Anxiety
Worship & God’s Kingdom: Winning the Battle over Anxiety Part 2
Prayer, Put-Offs & Put-Ons: Winning the Battle over Anxiety Part 3
Fear Versus Love: Winning the Battle over Anxiety Part 4
Trust in the Lord: Winning the Battle over Anxiety – Part 5
Rest & Remember: Winning the Battle over Anxiety Part 6
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about friendship, spiritual curb appeal, vengeance, keeping an eternal perspective, and ways to enjoy true abundance.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss them.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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