“Don’t be afraid. Just stand still (wait) and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.’” (Exodus 14:13-14 / NLT, parenthesis added)
I don’t like to wait – or even slow down. As a matter of fact, I really dislike stop signs and brake pedals. One of these days, I’d like to write a book titled, “If You Drive Slow Enough, You’ll Hit All the Red Lights.”
While stopped at a red light on the morning commute, tempers were hot and patience was short. The car directly in front of me was first in line and the driver had that mad-dash look. After what seemed like an eternity, the light turned green. However, it was the left-hand turn arrow, not the main traffic light. But the car in front of me launched into the intersection – almost colliding with the oncoming (left-turning) traffic. Fortunately, the driver stopped quick enough to avoid an accident.
Of course, God used the near-miss to speak to my own impatience and frenzied pace. Today’s mindset is one of immediacy. Fast food, quick hookups, faster downloads, shorter sermons, new tech gadgets with faster speeds, drive through pharmacies, ten-minute workouts. We get frustrated waiting at doctor appointments, we anxiously await that overdue promotion, we impatiently ask God to hurriedly answer our prayers. Always in a hurry. Waiting is considered a waste of time. But not with God. He invites us to “Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14).
Waiting on God
Scripture provides many examples of people who were tested, refined, and blessed while waiting on God’s time schedule. Moses waited 40 years before God called him into service. David waited 13 years for God to fulfill his promised kingship. Rachel and Hannah waited years for God to give them children. Paul waited in an Arabian desert for 14 years. Joseph waited 2 years in prison. Nehemiah waited four months. Daniel waited three weeks. People who faithfully waited, prayed, and trusted God.
Waiting on God removes our self-sufficiency. It builds our dependency on God’s sovereign timing and purpose. While we wait, He works behind the scenes aligning people, events, and hearts so everything falls into place according to His master plan and timing. To become impatient and launch ourselves before God’s light turns green is to invite disaster.
As Moses told the Israelites long ago, be still today. Slow your hurried pace of life. Acknowledge God’s sovereign plan and timing. Open your heart and mind and watch the Lord lead you today. Learn to wait on God.
