Intense Patience

It seems too often that I hear people waiting on God in the wrong way. First, when many people wait on God, it seems that they are only doing it because they have been forced to wait. There are circumstances beyond their control that have forced them to the side of the road for a while. Waiting on God was not their first reaction, but, instead, their last resort. Then, when they do wait on God they do not do it well and it ususally leads to worry and anxiety. This type of waiting leads to behavior that is contrary to the behavior Jesus calls His people to live in Matthew 6 so it must not be right.

How then should we wait?

Read Psalm 130.

There are, at least, three key ways to wait in this passage.
1. We wait by crying out to God. That is, our waiting should drive us to deep and constant prayer. (Ps 130:1-2)
2. We wait by confessing our sins and asking God to search our hearts for impurity. (Ps 130:3-4)
3. We wait by hoping deeply in the Lord. (Ps 130:5-8)

What tremendous power in eight quick verses!

Times of waiting are times for purification. In these times we can more clearly see who or what we are depending on and where we have placed our trust. The writer says we should place our hope in God, watching as the watchman waits for the first light of morning. In the day this was written, the night watchman was very important. He was responsible for making sure that no enemies were able to pull off a surprise attack. There is little doubt that he took his job seriously and did it intently. In the same way, we are to be waiting and watching for the deliverance of the Lord in our lives.

Sometimes God waits to deliver us so that we will have time to look deeply in our hearts to see the sin that is there. Praise God that He does not work on the merits of our righteousness, but He is still concerned about the purity of our hearts. If you are in a time of waiting in your life, why not spend some time asking God to show you wrongs that need to be made right in your life?

Oh, that we would constantly live this way! We would know greater joy!

What are you hoping in today? Only God can deliver you from the pit!

Shouldn't you be waiting intensely on Him?