Today's Reading: Psalm 25 & 132

Waiting All Day Long

The Psalmist wishes to know God's way, to be taught his path, and to be led into his truth. He cannot discern God’s ways unless God shows it; he cannot learn the path unless God teaches it; and he cannot walk in God's truth unless God leads him. Even then, unless God continues to teach, he shall never fully learn the lessons of his salvation, therefore he adds, "For you I wait all the day long.”

Knowing God’s truth and understanding His paths were so vital to the Psalmist’s survival and spiritual vitality that he was willing to wait all the day long to receive from the Lord.  How long do you persevere in prayer? Are your prayers so fervent and vital that you’re willing to commit your time to them? Too often we miss out on the benefit of their earnest prayers, because we do not persevere in them. 

One thing we must understand is that “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” (Lamentations 3:25) The Lord longs to be gracious to you and to lead you into His truth and guide you in His ways. This is His will for your life. But, in order to receive the full blessing of His graciousness, you must be willing to spend time waiting upon Him.

Sometimes, when we think of “waiting,” we often think of passivity or inaction. We wrongly imagine waiting as boredom, sitting idly. Or, we think of it as something unpleasant like waiting in line at the DMV or waiting in traffic on the freeway. But that is not the Bible’s meaning of waiting. Biblical waiting is not passive or boring. Biblical waiting is active and exhilarating.

Biblical waiting involves acknowledging the Lord’s sovereign control of all things and that nothing we are experiencing is outside of His love and care. It involves recognizing our complete dependence upon Him and that only through Him will we experience an infusion of power and strength.  Waiting also involves a degree of silence. We need to pause and simply relax in His presence. “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:26) Let Him speak. Let Him move. Let Him guide.

Biblical waiting also involves surrender of our needless worry and fear. It is a time of turning our eyes off of the issues that trouble us and turning our eyes completely upon the God who loves us. Lay your burdens down. Waiting is actively bringing your burdens to the foot of the cross and laying them down, allowing your loving Father to take them from you.

Take time today to express your dependence by waiting patiently, avoiding worry, living obediently. Seek Him in prayer, expecting him to save as you long for Christ’s final return.  Even if it takes all day long.