11 29 07 Waiting is not Wasting (IV)
As Long As He Says!

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.”
(Psalm 62:5 NKJV)

There are times in our Christian walk when we are left alone and in silence. We wait expectantly for answers, but hear nothing but idle chatter from friends, family, even strangers. It’s as though nothing really matters until we hear from God: a whisper, a roar, a rushing wind. Anything DADDY……just speak to my heart. I’ll wait AS LONG AS HE SAYS!

“God, the one and only--I'll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?”
(Psalm 62:5 The Message)

Isn’t The Message so vivid? God, my One and Only; I’ll wait AS LONG AS HE SAYS; EVERYTHING I have ever hoped for comes from my DADDY! All good and perfect gifts; every test and trial, everything He wants me to experience, is at His approval and just for me! He knows what plans He has for me and they are not to fail, but to succeed according to His plans, not the ways of the world. I really want to be the clay in The Potter’s hands, even if it means a long, lonely wait at times.

Pastor Tony Evans speaks of how we can praise the Lord “‘round midnight”. Paul and Silas did it. Daniel did it. David did it as well. Anyone can shout “Hallelujah” when things are good and rosy, but who can praise Him when things get dark, lonely, and just a little bit stormy? Everyone will have a midnight! If not, we must not be doing much to upset the devil! To the one who loves the Lord and wants to please Him, midnight is coming, if it’s not already at the door.

So are we willing to wait on the Lord? Are we prepared to let them shut us in with the lions and wait until morning? Are we willing to seek shelter in the dark, cold, lonely caves of the mountains and wait AS LONG AS HE SAYS before He acts?

Joy comes in the morning, but at times the nights can be long. WAITING IS NOT WASTING time, but as we wait with the Lord, we grow in our relationship with Him. Trials not only mature us and prepare us for future tasks, but above all, it gets us closer our DADDY. How else did David know how to run after God’s own heart but to spend intimate time with Him. We can’t expect everything to be alright all the time. We will have trials and crosses to bear. The more we do for Christ the more trying things become at times. And we count it all joy, because even in the dark of midnight, we can wait AS LONG AS HE SAYS! I will “continue to praise You”! (Psalm 71:14)