WAITING UPON THE LORD - ISAIAH 40:29-31

 

WAITING UPON THE LORD - ISAIAH 40:29-31

 

Introduction:

Generally, waiting is to allow time to go by, especially while staying in one place without doing very much, until someone comes, until something that you are expecting happens or until you can do something. However, in the scripture, the word ‘wait’ means to hope, to anticipate, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments and enduring to the end. It must be realized that the period of waiting is not always a pleasant time. In Isa 40:25-35 God recognizes the period of waiting and expects us to wait. Why? A major reason why men have to wait is: The time and season are not known to men. It is only God that knows the time and season. It is only in waiting upon God that: (1) He renews our strength. (2) God builds our endurance (3) The time of waiting enables us to pray and listen to God (4) This time helps us to read, study and meditate on the word of God (5)Time to trust God’s promises (6) The time to keep us safe.

 

While waiting, the Bible enjoins us to take heart but we tend to ignore that and instead take fear or worry, or stress, or become angry or some other negative trait that only adds to our distress. Waiting is not to be empty or hopeless. God expects us in waiting to hope, anticipate and trust and this requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping His commandments and enduring to the end. The Psalmist said: “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than, watchmen wait for the morning: Ps 130:5-6.

 

Ways We Are to Wait Upon the Lord

1.     Acknowledge God’s sovereign dependence – Ecc 7:13-1`4

2.     Come to terms with our dependence upon God – Rom 11:36

3.     Seek spiritual strength from the Lord – Ps 33:20; 27:14; 31:24

4.     Be patient and quiet – Lam 3:26; Ps 62:5; 46:1-3

5.     Refrain from needless fear and worry Ps 56:3-4

6.     Continue to learn and obey God’s commands

7.     Expect the Lord to save

8.     Seek the Lord through constant prayers. Acts 12:1-5

9.     Long for the Lord’s return. 2 Pt 3:11-13.

 

Those who waited for God: Abraham waited a long time before the Lord gives him children. David waited for 15 years before becoming a king in Israel. Both of them had clear and specific promises from God about what would happen in their lives. For them, it was a matter of believing God’s promises verses – s 27:14; Isa 40. Rom 4:18-22. What shal we say of Hanna? 1 Sam 2:1-9

 

Human strength will never be adequate for facing all of life’s challenges and difficulties. No matter who you are, or how much willpower you may have, you will encounter situation in life that you just can’t manage by yourself. Isaiah teaches us that people “who wait on 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”. Picture, person growing wings like an eagle and soaring over life’s problems. Imagine a person who runs on God’s strength (rather than on his or her strength: going the distance while other people drop like flies on every side. No matter what you are facing, wait on the Lord and look to Him for strength to conquer life’s challenges!