I WAIT for the Lord, my soul waits and in His Word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5
I turn to the Psalms and automatically give King David the credit for having written them. Fact is: he didn’t write all the Psalms.
The author of Psalm 130 is anonymous. Some scholars, though, believe King Hezekiah wrote this Psalm.
I can believe it. He had lots to despair during his life time.
Listen to the words that begin this Psalm:
From the depths of despair, O Lord
I call for your help.
Hear my cry O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
Do you ever cry out like this after spending time in God’s Wait Room.
Maybe He has kept you in His Wait Room far too long.
Possibly you can’t take another piece of bad news. The daily reports have begun to weight you down. You feel you can’t wait any longer.
From the depths of despair you cry out!
But WAIT – dear fellow Wait Trainer. There is something constructive you can do while passing away the time in God’s Wait Room.
Put your hope in His Word.
How, if you are paralyzed by fear of the what if’s if your wait doesn’t turn out the way you hope it will?
How, if you are immobilized by uncertainty.
How do we put our hope in the Lord, when all our energy is gone, spent on the object, the “thing” that is making us wait.
Pick up your Bible.
Pray. Ask God to speak to you in comforting words.
Open your Bible.
Read.
Let me give you an example: This year I have decided to “Get to know Jesus.” I mean, really get to know Him.
How? Read the best biography ever written about Him: the four gospels.
I am reading through the gospels several times this year. I am on my second reading. Tomorrow I begin Matthew again.
Now, simply reading about Jesus has not caused the door to the Wait Room to swing open. I am still in God’s Wait Room.
But while I am in there I have decided to turn my eyes on Jesus.
Knowing Jesus means that I follow Him. Following Him means that I obey his commands.
His last words to his disciples challenged them, especially Peter, to “Feed my lambs.”
In other words, reach out to others and meet them in their need.
I happen to know lots of people who are waiting in God’s Wait Room. They are lonely, scared, and some are misguided.
So what will I do while I wait?
Pity my circumstances and turn inward…
or participate in others’ situations and walk with them?
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5 comments:
Van,
Thank you so much for stopping in with me as I am in God's wait room.
This is a wonderful post full of encouragement, God took me through the Psalms early in this trial so Psalm 130 is very familiar. The days are easier now but we still wait, not knowing what the outcome of the trial will be. It is comforting to know there are so many loving brothers and sisters in Christ lifting us up in prayer. I know that whatever happens it will not be outside of God's sovereign will.
In the depths of despair I did cry out to God and he has answered me in many wonderful ways. You my friend are an answer, by seeking Him, serving Him you have reached out to touch me and love me by His grace. That has lifted me this evening thank you!
In His perfect Love,
Tina
Van, sitting in a couple of waiting rooms at the same time, I have to keep my eyes focused on the one constant...the One who is constant - Jesus.
Waiting with my Dad, nine weeks now, daily at the hospital, wondering what's going to happen. Waiting with my husband who's employment is uncertain because of the economic times. Waiting for direction to see my dream fulfilled. Waiting...waiting...waiting.
Thanks for the encouragement to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and continue being obedient to what I know to do, reaching out to others who need to see and know my Savior.
Blessings,
Joy
This is so true. Maybe 'waiting' on God means serving Him and others. I want to keep my eyes off me and Jesus is the perfect one to fix my eyes upon. I think reading the Gospels over and over again is a very good idea. The pastor at our beach service is doing 'Jesus Questions', as in questions Jesus asked. I bet you can rattle many off the top of your head from your readings. I will join your reading plan. Have a great Thursday looking at Jesus and serving others. B
Van, thanks for stopping by yesterday. I love this idea of the "wait room." So many reasons we're there, so much to learn from it. I'll be back!
I recently began reading the gospels...I just finished Mark and think I will read Luke next (for some reason, I wanted to read them "out of order") but what a blessing it has been!