Song of the Day
“Everlasting God” by Lincoln Brewster
Scripture to reflect upon
- Heb 13:8,
- Gen 21:33,
- Isa 40:28-31,
- Deut 33:27,
- Ps 27:14,
Devotional thought
Anticipation is one of the strongest feelings that a person can feel. Think about that feeling you have when you are going to open presents, waiting for that moment when your loved one proposes, the call back from a potential new job, and so-on. That feeling of anticipation can be very powerful, and it can lead us to make decisions that are driven purely by that emotion.
So, the feeling of anticipation can be an element of shock, or surprise, when the event you were anticipating actually happens, or anticipation can also mean to plan for something to happen. The latter would mean that we are so confident of the outcome of something that we actually begin to plan accordingly, in anticipation of the almost certain outcome. Well, the Scripture would almost point to this second element of anticipation when it comes to trusting in God – plan for Him to hear you and respond to your requests!
To wait on God is to have a hopeful expectation of His intervention and deliverance for you. The Hebrew word means to “expect something, to look for, to wait on”… that thing we are eagerly looking to God for. So, when we read in Ps 27:14 to wait upon the Lord, we are literally being commanded to rely on Him, to trust that He will show up for us when we need Him to be there!
The Bible tells us numerous times that those who wait upon, or put their hope in, God will never be put to shame. We will never regret trusting that God will be our greatest source of help in our times of trouble. We can anticipate His intervention and plan for His Spirit to strengthen us as we trust in Him. The whole idea of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1, and it is to be sure of what we hope for and sure of what we cannot see! So, to wait on God is to have faith that He will grant us the desires of our heart as we trust in Him.
Now the amazing thing that is revealed in the Bible about those who learn the art of waiting upon God is that they actually get strengthened as they wait! Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who wait for the Lord’s help will renew their strength. Maybe, just maybe, those of us who are feeling weak and weary are not relying upon (waiting on) the Lord in our situations, but trying to do things in our own strength instead. This will inevitably lead to us being weakened, whereas the one who places their hopeful expectation in God alone will receive renewed strength in that exercise of waiting and faith!
Prayer
Father, I thank You that You can be trusted. I praise You for strengthening me as I wait upon You to intervene in my situations. You are trustworthy, and I choose to trust You today. Please help me not to rush ahead of You and take matters into my own hands. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
