“And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).
TEXT — Isaiah 30:18-26
Message
The world is accustomed to haste. Many prefer to travel on the fast lane, own fast cars, fast telephony, fast Internet connections and eat fast foods. With the world wired together by awesome communication technology into one small global village, many business and lifestyle decisions can be made in no time by the touch of a gadget. The world is filled with the plague of impatience from coast to coast. Sadly, many Christians have contracted this syndrome and have been stung by the haste bug.
God warned Israel about rebellion and lack of patience in waiting on Him. He informed them that in quietness and in confidence will their strength be after their repentance. He, therefore, promised to be gracious and merciful to them, if they wait for Him.
Waiting on the Lord, however, should not be assumed to mean stoppage of all efforts towards the realisation of one’s set goals. Being patient for God to intervene in our affairs does not turn us into fatalistic believers, doing nothing and hoping for something. Waiting for God actually means turning to Him in prayers, trusting in His word for the things we desire, doing our best as may be required and looking up to Him, until He sends the blessings we ask.
Whatever the needs of our lives – child-bearing, marriage partner, marital bliss, good job, healing, personal spiritual growth, ministerial progress – waiting is an activity that involves the pursuit of God for the realisation of desires. Whoever waits on Him must earnestly seek His face and stand upon His promises until the requests are granted. For our waiting to be fruitful, therefore, it has to be accompanied by holiness and blamelessness, faith, courage, hope, patience and service unto the Lord.
Thought for the day
An impatient Christian is like a vehicle without brakes.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
