Waiting on God?

I am posting my past Pastor's Perspective for Sunday, September 13, 2009.

Do you remember those dog days before Christmas? All kinds of brightly wrapped packages under the Christmas tree? Seems like it was yesterday, right. The thrill of anticipation or for you it might have been the agony of waiting almost got the best of you. Lists made and hints throughout the year to mom and dad might finally come to pass. The only problem is that you had to wait…and waiting is not easy.

Waiting to receive something or get do something is tough business because waiting is the offspring of patience. What I mean is that you have to have patience to wait. Let me warn you right now though, don’t pray for patience. If you do, God might answer your prayer. Would that be so bad, Pastor? No, but if He answers your prayer you’d better get used to waiting because He’ll put you in situations were much patience is needed. How else will you learn patience?

In Psalm 27:14, the Psalmist is giving us a great truth shrouded in a command. He said “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (NKJV)” In this Psalm of David, he is expressing his confidence that God is going to give him total victory over his enemies. He expresses it in a way that it sounds like he believes and it’s already taking place, but he hasn’t seen the physical evidence. Thus in verse 14, he reveals this truth: when the physical manifestations of heavenly principals are hidden, the believer must wait. Are you willing to wait for the physical evidence of what God has already promised in His Word and to you personally?

In the Jewish mind, this Psalm has not been fulfilled completely. They haven’t seen their enemies vanquished. They will one of these days during the Millennial reign of Christ. But for now they’ll have to wait. So, what are they doing about it? Getting discouraged? Quitting? Giving up on God’s promise? No! They continually quote this Psalm to God and remind themselves that He made the promise and one day it will be fulfilled. But until then, they’ll have to stay in that holding pattern of waiting.

What are you waiting on God for? If you are a new Christian, you should be waiting on the Promise of the Father. Luke says, "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) Jesus has a gift for you, He is Holy Ghost. He wants to baptize you in His presence. But just like any other gift, you have to ask God and wait. I’ve got good news, though; He has already promised and given the gift. All God expects you to do is ask and wait for the physical manifestation. Yes, there is a physical manifestation and that is the gift of speaking in a language you’ve never learned before. What a precious gift!

So when I ask, “Waiting on God?” as a question, what am I implying. Is it God that we’re waiting on or is it me that God is waiting on. Let me give you a hint, it’s the latter. God is waiting on me. He is waiting on you. What is He waiting on? He’s waiting on you to ask. He’s waiting on you to get your heart ready. He’s waiting on His timing of your circumstance. He is waiting on the timing of situations and people around us. “All things are beautiful in His time…” the old song says. It’s kind of like the guy in the control tower. All these planes have to land at the airport, but they all can’t land at once. He has the advantage because he can see the whole situation at once. Computers help him keep things straight. Because he can see what the individual pilots cannot, he instructs them what to do and when to do it. God is greater than any air traffic controller. He knows more and has much more to take care of. And what’s greater, He never makes a mistake, never out of timing, and knows exactly what to do and when to do it in every situation the Christian faces. Listen to this old saying I always quote, “God is seldom early, never late, but always right on time.”

For the Jew, in order for that day of universal world peace to come to fruition and all their enemies subdued, the Messiah must return to set up His earthly kingdom. When that happens, life is over as we know it. If that would have happened 32 years ago, I would have been lost for eternity in hell. So, I’m thankful for God’s mercy and timing. And I’m willing to wait for His timing because I know of many who need to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ just like I did. However, my prayer is the same as the John, “He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)”
Are you waiting? Know that God knows all things and has everything under His power and control. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” That’s God! So, I’ll tell you the same as the Psalmist, “Wait, I say, on the LORD!” To be Continued…