The Wait
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What are you… really waiting for? What are you willing to wait for?
I’m not talking about the trivial things in life like a package from Amazon or the premier of a new TV series… I’m talking about the majors:
Waiting for the heart of a loved one or friend to come to know Jesus
Waiting for a leading in the call of God in your life.
Eldon example
Waiting for a physical healing or breakthrough
Waiting for clarity or direction in your next career move.
What are you… really waiting for?
As the narrator in the video made clear… waiting on God is a test of trust. It is a test of our faith. It is a test to see if we really are in it to win it.
Waiting on God means we have to set aside want we want, when we want it and even how we want it… and trust that God will deliver according to His time and His way and His plan.
Often times we want the end result, but we are unwilling to walk the path God has laid out for us… a path that might include a season of waiting.
The narrator also said something that caught my attention: we often forfeit for what God has in store for us by taking matters into our own hands.
The man that forgot about the dance recital… he pushed the envelope, he stayed in the office too long… he picked up flowers to maybe make the pain of his late arrival a little less… he ran a light… he got pulled over… and… that was it. He completely missed out on the blessing of watching his daughter perform on the stage.
We look at this guy we judgement and shame… but then we realize… we ARE this guy… time and time again choosing to do things our way instead of God’s way. And in the hurried nature of our plan… we end up missing out on the blessing we were hoping for in the first place.
Here’s the deal: we all know how to wait, but sometimes we are not very good at it? Have you ever stopped and asked yourself why that is?
Our ability to wait… is often determined by the motivation behind what we are waiting for.
For instance, a boy named Thomas walks outside to see his neighbor friend playing with a brand new action figure… a toy that Thomas has been wanting for a long time. He runs into his house and pleads his case with his mom. “How come Billy gets to have this new toy but I can’t have this new toy?” Tired of the tantrum and giving into the boy’s demand, Thomas’s mom takes him to the store and buys him the action figure.
Thomas didn’’t want to wait.
He didn’t want to save up his own money, he didn’t want to see if that toy would be included in his birthday presents or Christmas gifts, he didn’t want to wait for the satisfaction of having this new toy. His jealousy of his neighbor drove him to pester mom until he got what he wanted.
Thomas… was driven by jealousy… an emotion that is often not conducive with patience. And there are other emotions that might get in the way of our ability to wait. Lust, envy, spite, pride, entitlement, greed, etc. These emotions are all based on self… These emotions… if left unchecked… can become terrible motivators that cause a stirring within to do things our way… to hurry things along… to miss out on the blessing ahead because of our inability to wait.
We see this play out in our Bible story found in Genesis 25. Isaac was about to have twin baby boys… and before they were born, God tells Isaac's wife, Rebekah some interesting words...
23 The Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
This word went against the traditions of the day… the older serving the younger. Traditionally, the older brother, in this case Esau, would receive the inheritance or birthright from the father. Jacob would then, in a sense, serve his older brother.
Unwilling to wait for this word from God to come about by His hand, some things began to happen as Jacob and his mother became impatient. The first of these incidents Happens in Genesis 25:29-34
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
Did you catch that? Esau sells his birthright to his brother for what? A bowl of stew!!! That had better have been the best bowl of stew that guy had ever eaten!!!
Now I don’t like feeling hungry… but this is ridiculous! Esau… wanting something to eat… gives up something extremely valuable and ends up despising then his birthright.
This is bad enough… but later, in chapter 27, mom and Jacob trick dear old dad who can no longer see clearly into blessing Jacob instead of Esau.
They deceive Isaac and Jacob gets the blessing. But it is not without consequence… Esau is beyond angry and Jacob has to flea to his uncle’s house in Harran.
So what do we know in this story? God did in fact say that the older would serve the younger… but the steps mom and Jacob took to receive the blessing of Isaac were of their own design. THEY DIDN’T WANT TO WAIT. They took matters into their own hands and operated in deception instead of God’s plan.
Learning to Wait
There’s an old song out there I know you know because we have sang it before in settings like this. It simply says:
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall rise up on wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint… TEACH ME Lord TEACH ME Lord to wait...
And that right there is where I want our prayer focus to be this evening… teach me, Lord, to wait.
There are a couple of quick reminders that I want us to consider before we get in the altars tonight.
One, God’s promises are yes and amen. Look at this truth in 2 Corinthians 1:20
20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
God’s promises to us are realized and made possible through His Son, Jesus. It is through Jesus that we say amen - that we come into agreement with God’s promises - and God receives the glory of each fulfilled promise.
When God makes a promise… we don’t have to become FORCEFUL in trying to make it happen, all we must do is remain FAITHFUL to the Word spoken.
Two, God has all of the details regarding His promises figured out. This includes, how, when, where, and why this promise will be fulfilled. Therefore, we need to trust God in the details.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
When it comes to waiting, we need to STOP leaning on our own understanding. Your own “understanding” is the biggest threat to your ability to wait!!!
Waiting on God is a TEST of your TRUST. Trusting God removes the improper motivators such as greed, jealousy, selfishness, etc. from the equation. God’s promise are for you… but not about you. They are not about your abilities, your agenda, your circumstance, your situation, your calendar, etc. His promises are given according to HIS WILL and HIS PLAN for you… a plan that will bless you AND HONOR Him.
When we take matters into our own hands, we make the promise about us… about our ability and take the glory and honor from the Lord. Choose trusting in God over leaning on your own understanding.
Three, as you wait, walk by the Word. Know the Word and live by the Word.
There are several passages we could bring out on this one.
Jesus said in Matthew 7 to hear the Word and do what it says.
He also says in John 8 that true disciples hold to his teachings as they know the truth that will set them free.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
This point is simple. As you wait, remain obedient to the Word. Keep grounded in your walk of faith. If you find yourself not knowing what to do, then go back to the instruction book.
All three of these passages talk about a good outcome for those who listen to the Word and do what it says.
Jesus said your life will be built on the foundation of the Word that can weather any storm.
He also said that by holding to His teachings, you will know the truth that will set you free.
James noted that you will not be deceived.
Good things come to those who do life by the Word!
Closing
Closing
These three reminders are what we are going to pray through tonight. The Lord is wanting to teach us how to wait… and these three points are critical in that teaching.
So our prayer focus is simple. As I wait...
Lord, help me be faithful, not forceful.
Lord, help me pass the test of trust.
Lord, help me to know and to live the Word.
We do not need to take matters into our own hands. We do not need to manufacture a move of God. All we need to do… is wait.
Church… the blessing is coming! The promise WILL be fulfilled. You DO NOT have to question whether or not God is going to come through. The REAL question is… will YOU by faith, trust, and obedience, wait upon the Lord for His plan to come to fruition in your life?
We are going to open these altars tonight and pray. We are going to believe God for His promises according to His plan, His power, and His way.
God is going to reassure us of His presence moving on our behalf. God is going to give us the faith we need, the trust we need, the strength we need to wait… are you ready to receive from Him tonight?