It's Worth the Wait!

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I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8

One thing most of us do not like is waiting, We now have instant gratification through our smart phone, texting, and the ability to buy and sell on amazon anytime day or night. We still don't like to wait even with the advent of these time savers. 

To wait 2 or 3 minutes feels like an eternity. The other day I was at the check out line at the my local grocery and an older lady took out her checkbook and starting writing a check ... slowly.  Part of me was like, "Really a checkbook who does that anymore", but then I looked at this cute old lady and I told myself to calm down. Finally, when she had written her check and was ready to check out, I told her to have a good day! Shame on me for being in such a hurry!

Because I commute to work everyday, I am always trying to get to work faster by making lane changes and not getting behind the trucks at lights. I make sure I get through those yellow lights just in time before they turn red (usually orange!). Like many people, I suffer from "hurry sickness". Why am I in such a hurry? How does my frenzied pace affect that way I interact with people? Am I anxious for them to get done talking, so I can get on to the next thing. How does "hurrying" steal the little joys in life like watching an older lady write a check and enter it into her register. God bless her!

In Psalm 62:1 David gives us some good advice. He says, "I wait quitely before God, for my victory comes through him." 

David realized that by learning to wait on the Lord, he would be able to access the Lord's power. By waiting for the Lord, he could partner with God in whatever God was calling him to do. By waiting for the Lord, he could take his eyes off of himself and put them on the Lord. 

In verse 5 he essentially says the same thing, "Let all that I am wait patiently before God, for my hope is in him." 

By waiting David is able to offer all that He is to the Lord. It reminds him that his hope is in His God.  We often hear the phrase, "Good things come to those who wait." But we should add "Good things come to those who wait on the Lord!"

Why should we wait? One commentator says this, 

“This is why God keeps you waiting. All that is of self and nature must be silence; one voice after another cease to boast; one light after another be put out; until the soul is shut up to God alone.” (Meyer)

The best way to wait on the Lord is to spend some time in silence and solitude. It is the great antidote to "hurry sickness". Give yourself grace, as it will be hard to shut your mind down even for a few miniutes. We are hard wired to be thinking every moment and multi tasking to maximize our personal effectiveness and achievements. Even if it is five or ten minutes, spend time in silence. Maybe meditate on Psalm 62:1. 

Most importantly when we learn to wait on the Lord, we can experience him in little moments of joy each day. When we leave margin in our day to wait on the Lord, He joins us in everything we do. He constantly reminds us to enjoy the beauty of the world around us, and the beauty in each person we meet! 

When you wait on the Lord, it is ALWAYS worth the wait! 

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