Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those that trust in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31 HCSB
If you look up the word wait in the dictionary it gives three possible definitions when it is used as a verb. The first is to remain in a certain place or delay action until a particular time. The second one is an indication that someone is eager or impatient to do something or for something to happen. The third is to act as a waiter or waitress, serving.
For many years I have loved this verse, but only considered the wait mentioned in it to have one meaning. I only thought about the meaning which implied that we were waiting on the LORD, like waiting for His return or waiting for Him to do something. Now often times I wait eagerly or with impatience as the second meaning implies. But several years ago, our pastor pointed out that it can also have the third meaning to act as a waiter or waitress or to serve the LORD.
So my question today is are you waiting upon the LORD? A couple days ago, I had lunch with one of my best and dearest friends. We were talking about the sad state of affairs that our world is in and the evil that is all around us. She mentioned that this would be a good time for Jesus to return. So we know that we wait for His return. We know that when we pray we wait for an answer. We know that when we are in need of rescue we wait for Him to save us. But what are you doing while you are waiting? Are you worrying and sitting around wringing your hands or are you waiting upon the LORD? Are you serving Him?
I will admit that I am an impatient person. I don’t wait well. But I find that I wait much better if I have something to do. One of my pet peeves is when you go to the doctor’s office and they take you from the big waiting room into that little exam room and then leave you in there. I don’t like that. I feel trapped and closed in back there. I once waited for an hour in the waiting room and an hour in the exam room to obtain some test results. I was just getting up to leave out the exam room and go home when the doctor came in. I am grateful for my phone though, because at least now I can play games to pass the time. But, as a general rule if that happens with a doctor visit more than once, I find another doctor. My time is important as well. Having something to do while I wait helps a great deal. It keeps me busy and keeps my mind off of the waiting and keeps me out of trouble. Because in all honesty I start looking at the equipment and am tempted to start playing with it if I have to wait more than 10 minutes.
When we wait on the LORD, we have something to do. We can serve Him. We should be serving Him. So again I ask are you waiting upon the LORD? Are you serving Him? I will admit that there are times like the other day when I look at the sad shape that our world is in and I grow weary. But we need to keep on keeping on, knowing that in due time God will reward us (Galatians 6:9). In closing I would like to encourage you to read Malachi 3. The last three verses speak of the importance of serving God. In verse 16 we are told that those who feared the LORD had their names written in a book of remembrance and written before Him for those who fear Yahweh and had a high regard for His name. In verse 17-18, “They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “a special possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”
There is no way around it my friend, we either serve Him or we don’t. If we don’t serve Him we have idle time on our hands and may be easily led by the devil into sin. I beg of you today to wait upon Him in every true sense of the word. Wait for Him to return, wait eagerly and serve Him.
Have a great day!