Psalm 27:14 - Waiting On The Lord.
Psalm 27:14 - Waiting On The Lord.
Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14 (NLT) Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and
courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Waiting can feel like torture when you're afraid. David wrote
Psalm 27 at a time when he was terribly afraid, but he didn't panic.
Instead, he called upon the Lord and pleaded his case before him. Then he
waited patiently for the Lord to rescue him. Any scared person knows
that fear can cause people to make hasty, unwise decisions, and cause
them to act before they're ready. Fear can make people impatient and
reckless. As you read this psalm, learn from David's example about taking
your fears to God.
The three other psalms in this reading also have something to
say about times of fear: when you're afraid of losing your honor
(Psalm 25); your reputation (Psalm 26); or even your life (Psalm 28).
David's men wanted him to kill Saul. David knew that it was
not his job - the fulfillment of God's promise would come about in
God's own timing. So David placed his trust in God and waited for the
Lord, despite his fear (Psalm 27:14). As it turns out, David had to
wait fourteen years before being crowned king.
Waiting for God takes effort. It may seem as though God has
refused to answer our prayers or doesn't feel the urgency of our
situation. But God knows much more than we do. Lamentations 3:24-26 urges
us to hope in and wait for the Lord because often God uses waiting
to refresh, renew, and teach us.
David trusted God to do what was right. Trust in God's timing
and make use of your times of waiting by discovering what God may be
trying to teach you. [The One Year Through the Bible Devotional by Dave
Veerman re Psa. 27:1-6]
Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We want to be
people of action. We feel better if we are doing something to address
our need, but waiting forces us to rely on God. David learned what
it meant to wait. He was chosen by God to be the next king of
Israel, then spent years waiting for the day God's word would come to
pass in his life. As he waited, a paranoid, egocentric king occupied
the throne that had been promised to him. David spent his time
hiding in caves and living among his enemies. As he waited he saw good
friends murdered and his family and possessions taken. He saw Israel's
enemies wreak havoc on his nation. Perhaps no one ever faced greater
adversity while waiting upon God's promise than David did. He certainly
understood what it meant to become discouraged and fearful.
But David also enjoyed the reward for waiting upon the Lord.
He became the greatest king in Israel's history, and, more
importantly, through his trials he became a man after God's own heart. The
psalms David wrote during his days as a fugitive have been cherished
words of encouragement for millions of people through the ages.
Through David's descendants came the Messiah. David's willingness to
wait has blessed us all.
Times of waiting on the Lord can be some of the most precious
moments in your life (John 11:1-6). If you are waiting on God for
something, read Isaiah 40:31 and find encouragement as you wait for Him to
fulfill His promises to you. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby re Psa. 27:14]
We have a pesky habit of expecting that anything truly good
and lasting from the Lord will be given to us only in heaven, when
the Kingdom has come in its fullness. In other words, we get the
good stuff only after we die. Meanwhile, everything on earth is a
heavy burden and a cross to bear.
Scripture is clear that this world is broken and won't be
completely renewed until Jesus comes again. But it is also clear that God's
promises are good in this age as well as the next. We can experience Him
now, we can receive answers to prayer, we can enjoy the redemption of
past mistakes and difficult situations, and we can taste of His gifts
and goodness. He is a present God in present circumstances. He means
for us to experience abundance in the land of the living.
God tells us about heaven so we'll look forward to it, and
there's nothing wrong with envisioning its perfections when life gets
difficult. But never let the promise of heaven distract you from the
promises of today. No matter how complicated or heavy life becomes, God
is able to deal with it. His Presence is available. He can turn any
situation around in a moment. He may do that today, or He may take some
time to accomplish His thorough work. Either way, He wants us to hold
on to hope - to keep our focus on who He is in spite of what we see
right now. He wants us to know that we can and will enjoy His goodness
in the land of the living.
Father, I know everything will be perfect one day - that I'll
see You face-to-face and experience all the abundance and
completeness I can handle. But I also believe Your goodness and Your promises
apply to this age, on this earth, in this lifetime. Please help me
keep my hopes focused on You. [The One Year Experiencing God's
Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen re Psa. 27:13]
Ents, the treelike beings of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth,
were known for having meandering conversations with seemingly
tangential trails that might or might not come back to the subject at hand.
Such conversations would be painfully tedious in a world of e-mails
and text messages, but in developing relationships, they might be
enlightening.
Our well-conditioned impatience wars against God's Ent-like
conversations with us. Microwaves, drive-thru windows, and ATMs have allegedly
made life easier, but they have also made a relationship with God
much more difficult. We have learned to expect that if things don't
work out quickly, they won't work out at all. And in a conversation
with God, that simply isn't true. His dealings with us are usually a
process. A lengthy one.
It takes courage to remain focused on God when He seems
absent or silent. The faith required to take a step forward is usually
easier than the faith required to wait when everything in us is itching
for a resolution. When we've asked God to speak to us, give us
direction, or work out a problem, it's much easier to believe "it just
wasn't His will" than to believe He is still planning to accomplish
what we asked, though the answer is lagging long after the request.
Holding on to faith in a situation that dictates against it requires
fortitude, patience, and boldness.
We strive for efficiency in our lives. It's a common cultural
value in a post-modern world. But God values drawing out our
interaction with Him into a piece of artwork. He's writing an epic poem in
our lives, and we'll miss Him if we have a Post-it note mentality.
We need to sit. And listen. And listen some more. And be very, very
patient. And over time, we will find the conversation entirely
satisfying,
Lord, my conversations with You resemble Morse code more than
lengthy and winding dialogues. Yet You have so much to say in the
process of communication other than the words themselves. Give me
patience - and courage - to hear You in the pauses and tangents of our
talks. [The One Year Hearing His Voice Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Waiting on Me means directing your attention to Me in hopeful
anticipation of what I will do. It entails trusting Me with every fiber of
your being, instead of trying to figure things out yourself. Waiting
on Me is the way I designed you to live: all day, every day. I
created you to stay conscious of Me as you go about your daily duties.
I have promised many blessings to those who wait on Me:
renewed strength, living above one's circumstances, resurgence of hope,
awareness of My continual Presence. Waiting on Me enables you to glorify
Me by living in deep dependence on Me, ready to do My will. It also
helps you to enjoy Me; in My Presence is fullness of Joy. (Lam.
3:24-26; Isa. 40:31; Psa. 16:11) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Waiting, Trusting, and hoping are intricately connected, like
golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the
central strand, because it is the response from My children that I
desire the most. Waiting and hoping embellish the central strand and
strengthen the chain that connects you to Me. Waiting for Me to work, with
your eyes on Me, is evidence that you really do trust Me. If you
mouth the words "I trust You" while anxiously trying to make things go
your way, your words ring hollow. Hoping is future-directed,
connecting you to your inheritance in heaven. However, the benefits of hope
fall fully on you in the present.
Because you are Mine, you don't just pass time in your
waiting. You can wait expectantly, in hopeful trust. Keep your "antennae"
out to pick up even the faintest glimmer of My Presence. (Jn 14:1;
Psalm 27:14; Heb. 6:18-20) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Relax in My everlasting arms. Your weakness is an opportunity
to grow strong in awareness of My Almighty Presence. When your
energy fails you, do not look inward and lament the lack you find
there. Look to Me and My sufficiency; rejoice in My radiant riches that
are abundantly available to help you.
Go gently through this day, leaning on Me and enjoying My
Presence. Thank Me for your neediness, which is building trust-bonds
between us. If you look back on your journey thus far, you can see that
days of extreme weakness have been some of your most precious times.
Memories of these days are richly interwoven with golden strands of My
intimate Presence. (Deu. 33:27; Psa. 27:13, 14) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
Leave outcomes up to Me. Follow Me wherever I lead, without
worrying about how it will all turn out. Think of your life as an
adventure, with Me as your Guide and Companion. Live in the now,
concentrating on staying in step with Me. When our path leads to a cliff, be
willing to climb it with My help. When we come to a resting place, take
time to be refreshed in My Presence. Enjoy the rhythm of life lived
close to Me.
You already know the ultimate destination of your journey:
your entrance into heaven. So keep your focus on the path just before
you, leaving outcomes up to Me. (Psa. 27:13, 14; Exo. 15:13) [Jesus
Calling by Sarah Young]
I am with you and for you. When you decide on a course of
action that is in line with My will, nothing in heaven or on earth can
stop you. You may encounter many obstacles as you move toward your
goal, but don't be discouraged - never give up! With My help, you can
overcome any obstacle. Do not expect an easy path as you journey hand in
hand with Me, but do remember that I, your very-present Helper, am
omnipotent.
Much, much stress results from your wanting to make things
happen before their times have come. One of the main ways I assert My
sovereignty is in the timing of events. If you want to stay close to Me and
do things My way, ask Me to show you the path forward moment by
moment. Instead of dashing headlong toward your goal, let Me set the
pace. Slow down, and enjoy the journey in My Presence. (Rom. 8:31;
Psa. 46:1-3; Luke 1:37) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Waiting Is A Process
In Psalm 34:4, David said, "I prayed to the LORD, and he
answered me. He freed me from all my fears." This is the kind of prayer
life we want. A request, an answer, and a heart at rest. No
shot-in-the-dark prayer, no long wait, no more stress about whether God will or
won't. That's the kind of interaction that lets us know He's with us
and listening to our hearts. And that's the kind of relationship we
long for.
Verses like this are implicit promises that we can have such
a relationship, but they are condensed versions that may mislead
us if we aren't careful. What David hasn't explained in this psalm
is that he is still on the run from a king who wants to kill him,
that he has had to hide out among Israel's enemies and feign insanity
in order to stay alive, and that he has felt afraid, desperate,
victimized, confused, and stressed at various times in the process. The
psalm is a CliffsNotes version of a victory - the kind of summary that
gets told on a day of celebration - but other psalms give us glimpses
into the whole story: God's Presence and triumph in David's life have
come at an often painful cost.
Be encouraged by psalms like this one when you're in a battle
or struggling through a season of pain. They point to the same kind
of celebration you'll have. You too will be able to say, "I prayed
to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears."
Just understand that for David, the process took longer than the
succinct words imply, and it was considerably more complicated, too. The
path to victory is often steep and twisting, but that's how God draws
us close on the way. Even so, trust in Him for the outcome. He
really does answer.
Lord, I really do want the kind of relationship in which I
make a request, You answer, and I experience freedom and rest. Help
me hang on to that promise throughout the process of getting there.
[The One Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris
Tiegreen]
Waiting In A Relationship With Christ Is Vital
In marriage, pride and selfishness can be the source of an
avalanche of disillusionment that buries two people and those who are
closest to them. I use the analogy of climbing a mountain with two
bulging backpacks full of hurt and disappointment to illustrate the
futility of trying to move forward in marriage while carrying too much
"history."
On our climb to the mountaintop of God, my husband and I
hammered in carabiners - such as church, ministry work, Bible study, and
godly friendships - as safety measures. I thought we were safeguarded.
But like many couples, we found our relationship stressed by the
responsibilities of raising a family, the challenge of often having more month
than money, and the disappointment of unmet expectations. I didn't
pay too much attention when a carabiner snapped loose. We were still
on the climb. I didn't protect my relationship with encouragement,
an attitude of service, regular quiet time with God, or the
personal attention that would have made my husband feel special and
appreciated. Nor did he. This put us on a dangerous precipice. One wrong step
sent us tumbling off the mountain.
I found myself at the bottom of a long fall, wondering how
God could possibly work in this disaster of a marriage. I felt
buried under the weight of failure. I knew God was big enough to
restore the relationship, but would he?
Lost and afraid, my husband and I waited at the bottom of the
mountain, nursed our injuries with prayer, and cautiously navigated the
rubble of pain and misunderstanding. Then we saw a light in the
darkness. The Lord beckoned us to follow. This time, he is Lord of our
climb. We are belayed to his rope.
Dawn Moore, married for twenty-two years, is a homemaker,
mother of three, and a "professional volunteer." [The One Year Bible
Live Verse Devotional]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20110204-1532.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060925-1211.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Music Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS:
Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
