Waiting Well

‘Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!’ – Psalm 27.14

From Sam Lomas:

Recently I was watching a documentary about climbing Mount Everest.  At one point, two climbers were talking about the strange experience they went through near the summit.  It turns out that nowadays climbing Everest, although difficult, is done by a lot of people.  As a result, it is not uncommon for long queues to form as you approach the top. 

Can you imagine standing near the top of the highest mountain in the world – in what is known as the death zone because of the effect of the lack of oxygen in the air – stood in a queue that is not too dissimilar to the queue at the supermarkets!?  I know the British enjoy queuing, but this is something else!  Nobody wants to be stuck in that situation. 

Waiting… Waiting… Waiting…

To be honest, recently it feels like we have all had to do our fair share of waiting.  Waiting for restrictions to end or waiting for our name to come up for the vaccine.  But what about waiting for the Lord to break through and help you with your troubles?  

For a lot of people, the idea of waiting on the Lord might seem like a passive exercise, but that was not the case for King David.  Psalm 27 is prayer asking God to help while waiting.  David’s words help illustrate that waiting on the Lord is an active, not passive, process.  So what is David active in doing?

Trusting (Psalm 27.1-2) – First, David displays trust while he waits.  His focus is on the Lord, who was his light, his salvation and the stronghold of his life.   I don’t know about you, but in these difficult days, to be able to wait with confidence is such a game changer.  To know that God is good, that He is a light to our path and will bring salvation in this life and the next, really helps me.

Seeking (Psalm 27.4) – Waiting well involves seeking Jesus.  David longed to be with the Lord (“this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord … to gaze on the beauty of the Lord”).  God sent Jesus into our world, followed by the Holy Spirit.  The Lord’s presence is no longer confined to a temple but instead can be in our hearts if we accept Jesus as Lord.  Seeking God’s presence with you by making yourself aware of His Holy Spirit can bring peace in distress as well as a strengthening to persevere.

Prayer (Psalm 27.7-14) – Lastly, we can be active in waiting through prayer.  David asked God for wisdom, direction and protection as he waited, wholly believing he would soon be rescued by God and saved from his troubles.  There is no prayer that God ignores, what will you say to the Lord today?