"..Those who wait on the Lord.." Isaiah 40:29-31 (NKJV)

I remember growing up my Grandmother used to tell me about “waiting on the Lord,” I had trouble understanding what she meant.  Is it like passively waiting in endless lines for a ride at Disneyland, or is it something different?  

I can recall the words of my former Pastor John Wimber who used to say that ”we are waiting on the Kingdom which is here, but not yet.” 

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2- (NKJV)

James 1 describes patience (waiting) as not being passive but active.  We are in this dynamic interaction with the Lord which has a net effect of producing assurance and trust in our lives.

The Hebrew word for waiting is “qavah” which speaks of a binding or “twisting” together.  We are actively bound to the Lord in this relational interaction, which we are waiting for Him to move and manifest His presence.  This struggle of binding together is developing trust in His promises.  

That is what God is aiming for in our lives that we may work through our impatience, which is in fact, lack of trust. 

In our modern world we have invented technology which circumvents waiting, we have microwave ovens for example, which speed up the process of cooking.  

As an analogy, God’s design is to keep us in the crockpot and slow cook us so that we can develop through the slow process of marination.  We need to marinate so that we can be broken down that the true flavor of the Kingdom may come out through our lives.  (Besides, slow-cooked food always tastes better.)

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” 
Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV)

Perseverance is the waiting period before the Lord, hurry is the enemy of God, for it takes us out of the present, God always lives in the present.  Waiting creates humility and breaking which produces endurance.  

When a seed is planted, it goes through what appears to be a dormant (or passive) phase, but in actuality, there is a lot of activity going on.  As water filters down to the seed planted in the soil, the husk of the seed begins to break down and crack open.  As this breaking happens the new life from the combination of the water, soil, and sunlight form the new life and it begins to emerge and push through the soil.

Other than Christ, we have no certainty in life, the only certain thing that we can control is ourselves, we cannot control the outcomes of our circumstances, but we can place trust and patiently wait in the one who can.

Jesus demonstrated endurance (patience), which is meekness…which is strength under control.  Meekness is not a mousey attitude which is contrary to strength; it is quite the opposite.

There are 5 “C’s” which help define the type of strength that Jesus demonstrated in scripture:

1. Calm Energy
2. Controlled
3. Centered
4. Contented
5. Clear

All of these define the life of Jesus as a humble meek man who knew how to please the Father. The Lord indeed makes us wait upon Him, that we may develop these aforementioned traits.  God has been waiting since the fall of Adam to interject His plan into humanity that we become like Him and develop these characteristics that we may become strong in His kingdom.

The Lord has also been waiting for His wedding feast, so why hasn’t He just swept down and captured His bride and taken us to the wedding feast?  The reason is He is preparing her for the day of His wedding that she may reflect the traits that He desires to see in her. 

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.” James 5:7 (NKJV)

Patience (or endurance) is the character of Jesus.  He wants us to wait upon Him and bind together with Him so that we have complete trust in Him and His ways.  This world gives us quick, easy answers which are shallow and do not produce life, whereas if we wait on the Lord, He alone will become our strength and impart the life of the spirit.

Joseph had a glimpse of his destiny, his journey to that destiny was met with many twists and turns along the way, but he remained faithful to God and to what he was told in his dream. We have the revelation of Jesus Christ, which is God’s promise to us, which is surer than a dream, and we have the promises of God that He will fulfill those promises and will never leave us or forsake us.  

And as a bridegroom who is preparing a bride for the wedding day, so Jesus prepares us by developing trust and patience that He will perform everything in His timing.  We must wait (rest) for our bridegroom as we are being changed (transformed) into His very image that reflects the Kingdom's life that grows in us.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.” Psalm 91:14 (NKJV)

"Because He has set His love upon me," I will abide under His feathers (His secret place).  We have a refuge and safe place to actively wait (rest) in Him that we may be protected and take confidence in His promises as we are transformed into a beautiful bride.  

Remember that waiting isn't passive, it is an active binding together with the Lord.

Be Blessed;

Stephen Barnett