WAIT IN HOPE FOR HELP (1)

“I WAIT for the LORD, my whole being waits, and IN HIS WORD I put my HOPE” – Psalm 130:5 (NIV)

The Psalmist consistently displayed the Wisdom to WAIT IN HOPE for HELP: “I WAIT for the LORD, my whole being waits, and IN HIS WORD I put my HOPE. I wait for the LORD more than watchmen wait for the morning...” (Psa. 130: 5-6, NIV). To Wait in Hope for Help is to wait in God’s Word (v.5); for His Mercy (v.7); and to watch for His timings. The psalmist used the imagery of the night guards of the city who watched the passage of time in anticipation of the coming dawn when they would be released from duty. The coming of the dawn was certain, but not without the passage of time. God would have us wait on Him – in Hope of receiving His Help!

Sometimes we find ourselves in one of life’s waiting rooms, watching and wondering when we’ll get to move on. Waiting does not come naturally. We generally hate to wait. Impatience is the usual response when we’re delayed. Anxiety rises when appointments are postponed. Waiting can seem frustrating, deflating, and agonizing; yet it is essential to learn it, like Paul learnt contentment: “Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Phi. 4:12b). God sovereignly and wisely orchestrates events in our lives to provide us with opportunities to wait on Him.

Waiting is intricately connected to Trust and Hope. When, like the city’s guards, we wait for the morning, we are not just waiting for time to pass; but for the sun to rise and day to break, for light to replace darkness, and the cold to recede before the sun’s warmth. Waiting is basically wrapped up with knowing, trusting, and believing in the Lord’s Character, Person, and Promises. Waiting involves an anticipation, expectation, and confident Hope in something special occurring. The ability to wait on the Lord stems from being confident and focused on who God is and what He is doing.

Waiting implies having confidence in God: knowing and trusting in His Purposes, Principles, Promises, Power, Wisdom, Love, and Timing. As the watchman waits for the sun, certain that it is reliable, we wait for the Lord even more, knowing He is more reliable than the rising sun.

Scriptures recurrently refer to those who waited on and for the Lord.

David: “I WAITED PATIENTLY for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry” (Psa.40:1).

Isaiah: “And I WILL WAIT on the Lord, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will HOPE in Him” (Isa.8:17).

Jeremiah: “It is good that one should HOPE and WAIT QUIETLY for the salvation of the LORD” (Lam.3:26).

Micah: “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me” (Mic.7:7).