Wait!

Wait!

Psalms 27:14 AMP

[14] Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

The world defines 'wait' as to 'stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or event'. There is also a bible-related definition, which is 'to hope, to anticipate, and to trust'. It goes further to add that to hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end. Is there really anything else to add? The world knows what it means to wait. There are many examples of people who got involved in these get-rich-quick schemes, and they paid a high price for it. There are many other people who endured hardships, but learnt from their experiences, and were able to build lasting legacies after themselves. If the world has these examples for us, how much more should we as Christians be quick to lay down personal inspired stories of the value in waiting? 

Why is waiting so critical ? It is a good test of character. Picture this: if my job is to wait on tables, I am not the one to drive timing for the customer. Even if there is a fixed time for the customer to eat and then leave, it is not in my place to remind the customer that he is wasting his time. My job is to be attentive to the need of the customer, and make sure that the order is understood, prepared the right way and then delivered according to specification. What is happening on other tables with other customers will not be the most important factor now; it will be to meet the need of the customer that I am presently attending to. Waiting will test your patience, particularly if the customer seems to be taking his time, but because my wages and tips are linked to the satisfaction of the customer, I have to make sure that I give my best, all the way from the customer gets in till when he leaves. 

In the same way, I am asked to wait on God. As we also know, there is training for the role, as I need to learn and internalise what is expected of me. The clear understanding is that God is the One who has all that I need for life and Godliness, and He is able, willing and ready to give them to me. Man may still not be happy when a waiter has done his best, but God is not man. God does not need me to kill myself before He gives me the just reward for my service. The verse above enjoims me to confidently expect the Lord; He does not fail or disappoint. Even when it looks like He is silent, it is because He is coming in with an order that will change your life. I believe the best way to encourage someone is from your own personal experience, and who else but David could teach and show us the value of waiting on God, and seeing Him come through in amazing ways? Still the same God, and He is still in the business of changing lives. Would you trust Him with yours? God's time of favour is here.