But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.     Isaiah 40:31 HCSB

Waiting is something I just don’t like to do if I’m being totally honest. I am not a big fan of delayed gratification. When I decide I want something, I don’t like to wait. I must not be alone, because I think my low level of patience has brought on such inventions as fast food, microwaves and superfast internet speeds, just to name a few things we enjoy these days.

Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22, but I think it is one we sometimes tend to fall a little short on. Or at least I know I do. I’ve come to realize in the years since I rededicated my life to Christ, however, that God has His ways of helping us to be patient. If we live as He teaches us to live in His Holy Word, we trust in His timing. We know His timing is always perfect timing. His timing can be much slower and take much longer than our timing.

Our Scripture passage for today tells us that as we wait on the Lord, we renew strength, we mount up with wings like eagles, we run and do not get weary and walk and do not faint. Galatians 6:9 tells us we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we do not give up. We must do good as we wait on the Lord. We must not give up.

In Jeremiah 29:11 God promised the Israelites that He had plans for their welfare and not for evil. He told them He planned to give them a future and a hope. Many people fail to read verse 10, however, in which God tells them that this will come after they have spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon. They had to endure 70 years of captivity and then God would restore them and give them good things like a hope and a future.

In Ephesians 5:15-21 Paul tells us to walk as wise people. He tells us to make the best use of our time because the days are evil. He tells us not to get drunk with wine but be filled by the Spirit. He tells us to be kind to one another in word and deed. He tells us to give thanks to the Father for everything and to submit to one another in fear of Christ.

While you wait for the Lord, be wise with your time. Do the things the Lord tells us to do. Pray, study your Bible and be good to others. Stay sober and alert (1 Peter 5:8). Be kind to one another and even submit to one another. What does Paul mean to submit to one another in fear of Christ? Proper personal relationships require subjection in reverence to God. If we love the Lord with all our heart as Jesus instructed us to do in Matthew 22:37 we will also love others as we love ourselves.

When we put the needs of others before our own (Philippians 2:3), we subject ourselves to them.

If you are in a period of waiting, don’t just sit there. The time will go much faster if you serve the Lord during this time. God told the Israelites to spend their 70 years in Babylonian captivity living their life by marrying, building homes, planting gardens and doing the things they would normally do.

Serve God while you are waiting. Do good and don’t give up. You will reap the goodness you have sown in God’s perfect timing.

Have a great day!