They that wait upon the Lord renew their strength. They that wait upon men dissipate their energies. — Leonard Ravenhill (1867-1942)
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
–Isaiah 40:28-31
Waiting on God is far from a passive exercise for the believer. It is a most active obedience, this yielding to the pace and rhythm of our Maker. However, fully waiting on His leading yields the most breathtaking steps in our dance with Him.
Wait beloved. Trust. Obey. He will not hurt you. He loves you more searingly than you have ever loved anyone. He is there in the pain. He is there in the loss. He is there in the confusion. He never leaves. He never forsakes.
Dwell in His peace. Bathe in it. Marinate in it. Wait for Him.
Waiting is not sitting still until some clock runs out – even if we are willing to wait until the end of our lives. Waiting is purposefully and fully renouncing the recording of time’s passage while G_d’s plans unfold. In waiting, we look only to Him, and not to the resolution of any issue. We leave the starting and finishing of it all to Him. And from this stance comes profound strength for living. This Strength-from-waiting is phenomenal for those that experience it. Epic it is as it flows through our weak vessels.
Surely, the world sees things almost totally opposite to this. But, frankly, this writer no longer defends the truth of G_d’s Word against the lies of the world. Truth and time are friends. As sure as time passes, truth wins. And if each of us were honest, we would say that we know – deep down – that we can indeed wait and trust G_d. We simply refuse to do it.
Wait friend. Stay near Him. We are His precious possession. Gain strength in His presence like Joshua did in the tent of meeting. Then let us go out on His wings and fly where He sends us.
To be fully human, we were designed to be covered with, filled by, imbued with the very power of Christ to live our lives. It is His Spirit that does this. We must wait on Him throughout our whole lives as He completes the work He has begun in us. There is no other way.
Don’t try…
Ask for the God of Peace, the Prince of Peace to infill you.
If you try to imitate Christ in your own strength
You will be a miserable replica.
But if you allow the impartation of Jesus Christ to overtake you,
Suddenly it all works
Because it’s Him imitating Himself
And He’s very good at being God
— Eric Ludy
— Eric Ludy
