Hoping While Waiting

waiting 2

Wait.  Not my favorite word, though certainly one of God’s.

I’ve been waiting for lots of things lately:  a new baby coming any day, for some finally arrived time with my sisters, for a break in my travel/ministry schedule, for resolution in some relationship situations, for peace in a great loss, for time to write….Some waiting is joyful—I am eager for the outcome!  Other waiting is very painful, and then it is hard to keep hope alive.

King David had lots of opportunities to wait, and I have found his experiences have helped me persevere through God’s times of waiting for me.  Psalm 27 is such a story.

David's Reality

Psalm 27:13-14: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

The setting: David is in trouble: wicked assailants, enemies, war.

His response: Ps. 27:8: I will seek the face of the Lord.His conclusion: I can wait with hope.

Meanings:

“Still confident”: aman—believe, hold up, build up or support, render firm

“Wait”: qavah—to bind together, to expect, to look for patiently, to wait for or on or upon

“Be strong”: chazaq—fasten on, seize, bind, confirm, conquer, be courageous

“Take heart”: lev—emotions plus will and intellect—total inner being.

What David is saying:

There is trouble all around me. Enemies desire to destroy me. But I seek the Lord. And He meets me and rescues me.

Therefore I am confident that my belief/trust in God is firm. I am connected to Him. I can believe that I will see God’s goodness in the land of the living as well as in heaven.

So I can wait with hope. I can in my heart bind together the difficult present with a hopeful future (in this world) of God’s involvement and goodness. I can live in light of God.

I will therefore be strong. I will seize and fasten on God and who He is. I will take heart and will bring my emotions, intellect and will under His loving sovereignty.

I will eagerly anticipate what God will do. I will wait with hope.

And therefore I can say:

Lord, you know the pain I am experiencing because of the choices I have made, or my child has made, or the pain life has brought. You know I want to trust and have hope, but I often am filled with hurt and fear and anger and even despair and hopelessness. But I will seek You and You will meet me and rescue me.

Therefore I am confident in You. I will stay connected to You and will choose to believe that I will see your goodness in my life or the life of my loved one.

So I can/will wait with hope. I will in my heart bind together this difficult present with that hopeful future of your involvement and goodness. I choose to live in light of who You are.

I will therefore be strong and take courage. I know what You are like—You are God and You are good. I choose to seize that truth and believe You will bring my emotions into confident trust and rest in You.

I will eagerly anticipate what You will do. I will wait with hope.

Amen.

What about you?  What are you waiting and hoping for?

C2012 Judy Douglass