Numerous times in the Bible men were instructed to wait on the Lord, wait for the Lord, or to stand still. Yes there are times when we must “roll up our sleeves” and go to work, but then there are times when the task is too great for us; our intellect is insufficient, or we come to “a dead end” and don’t know which way to turn. Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…” (also see verse 9). When Israel was hemmed in and Pharaoh was in pursuit (Exodus 14:3-7), God spoke to them through Moses, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord …” (verse 13). Stand patiently on the promises of God and watch the power of His word in fulfillment thereof. In 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, the children of Israel were facing the insurmountable odds of an army that was too great for them; it was then that God instructed them precisely where and when to position themselves to “see the salvation of the Lord” (read verses 18-30 to see how they sang and praised the Lord in the face of this enemy threat, and watch the “salvation of the Lord”). It is interesting how many times the word “wait” is translated from a Hebrew word that means “to bind together (perhaps by twisting)”. I get the picture of a rope with many strands twisted together to form it. Psalm 27:14 says as we thus wait on the Lord He will strengthen our heart. Isaiah 40:31 also promises that we will soar into the heights and not grow weary and faint (in other words we will “cross the finish line” and win the victors crown). So, as we wait on the Lord we align ourselves with His word and His will. Sometimes, this may be just patiently lingering in His presence, waiting for His timing and direction, watching for Him to work for us. Other times it may mean going forward (Exodus 14:15), acting in accordance with His direction, and watching Him work through us, expecting His word to be fulfilled with power.
Wait On The Lord
-By Rose Hill
I will wait for you, expect and hope,
I need new strength to help me cope.
I know You will my strength renew,
With eagle wings I’ll fly to You.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James version copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.