Waiting on the LORD: Under What Circumstances? (Part 1)

    Last week we began a new study of what it means to wait on the LORD. We learned that the Hebrew word behind the ‘wait’ in forty-nine passages in the Old Testament means to be gathered and twisted together and also to look for with confidence. Simply put: Waiting for the LORD means that we bind ourselves to Him in earnest anticipation.

    This week I would like to begin to understand the circumstances surrounding those who have instructed and exhorted us to wait on the LORD. We will begin with the book of Psalms.

A Declared Determination While Going Through Afflictions

Psalm 25 (vv3, 5, 21)

• Circumstances: The writer of this psalm, David, is surrounded by many enemies, who hate him with cruel hatred. He is desolate, afflicted, in pain, and distressed; the troubles of his heart have enlarged.
• Declarations: “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:5) and “My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.” (Psalm 25:15)

Psalm 27 (v14)

• Circumstances: False witnesses have risen against David who breathe out violence.
• Declarations: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?...Though and army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.” (Psalm 27:1, 3) and “Wait in the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:21)

Psalm 52 (vv8-9)

• Circumstances: We are told specifically that this psalm was written when David fled from the presence of King Saul to Ahimelech the priest, and Doeg the Edomite betrayed him to King Saul. Later, Doeg, at King Saul’s command, killed Ahimelech, the priest, and eighty-four other priests who helped David (1 Samuel 22).
• Declarations: “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.”  (Psalm 52:1) and “…I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.” (Psalm 52:8-9)

Psalm 69 (v6)

• Circumstances: David’s own family turn on him for clinging to God and for being zealous for God’s house. He states that the waters have come up to his neck and he is sinking in deep mire; he has come into deep waters where the floods overflow him. He is weary with his crying, his throat is dry, his eyes fail, he is heartbroken, full of heaviness, poor, and sorrowful. David begs God not to let any who wait on Him be ashamed because of him as he endures this ongoing reproach.
• Declarations: “But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.” (Psalm 69:13-14) and “…I am poor and sorrowful; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:29-30)  

Psalm 130 (vv5-6)

• Circumstances: The writer of this psalm is crying out to the LORD from out of the depths.
• Declarations: “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning – yes, more than those who watch for the morning.” (Psalm 130:5-6)

Proclaimed as Advice

Psalm 37 (vv7, 9, 34)

• Advice: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in the way, because of him who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret – it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth… Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.” (Psalm 37:7-9, 34)

Psalm 62 (vv1, 5)

• Advice: Because David clung to God in confident expectation, he advised others to do the same: “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; for God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8)

Psalm 130 (vv5-6)

Note: This psalm appears again because I felt that it was also advice to those who would read it.

• Advice: “O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD this is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.” (Psalm 130:7)

Proclaimed in Prayer

Psalm 39 (v7)

• Proclamation: “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Deliver me from all my transgressions…” (Psalm 39:7-8)

Proclaimed in Praise

Psalm 40 (v1)

• Proclamation: “I waited patiently for the LORD, and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set me feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth – praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD… Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” (Psalm 40:1-3, 16)

    Have you ever found yourself in troubling circumstances? Maybe painful ordeals that occupy your thoughts for hours, if not days; troubles that rob you of sleep and comfort? Cling to God – bind yourself tightly to Him, and trust in His ability to help you (Hebrews 4:16), to comfort you (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), to strengthen you (1 Peter 5:10), to grant you wisdom (James 1:5), and to guard your heart and mind with His peace through Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). Seek Him in prayer and tell God that you trust His ability, His power, and His wisdom – make your petitions and your faith known to Him.

    After earnestly anticipating God’s help in a situation, did you receive it? Did you take Him at His word, trust in His promises and find them to be true?  Continue to cling to God – bind yourself tightly to Him, and continue to trust in His lovingkindness and faithfulness – praise Him for these in song (Psalm 92:1-2)! Tell others about His mercy and His trustworthiness – letting others know of your unwavering trust in Him may encourage them to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8)!

    In times of trouble or in times of rejoicing, cling to God – bind yourself to Him – and earnestly anticipate His ability to hear you and help you! Determine that you will wait on the LORD in every circumstance – today, and in all your tomorrows!

You can do it! So can I!!

New Study: Waiting on the LORD

New Study: Waiting on the LORD

Wait.

It does not mean to mindlessly pass the time, nor does it mean to fretfully pace in uncertainty.

If the Lord wills, the ‘wait’ we will be studying comes from the Hebrew word ‘qavah’ (pronounced kah-VAH, Strong’s Hebrew #6960). It is used 49 times in the Old Testament, and it is echoed in the New Testament as well. What does it mean to wait on the LORD?

Qavah means to wait, to look for, to hope, to expect with eager expectation.

It is first found in Genesis – but not in a way you would expect: “Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.” (Genesis 1:9 NKJV)

You may be asking yourself, ‘Where is the waiting in that verse?’ Well, let me show you where qavah is in Genesis 1:9 “Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens qavah into one place…” Qavah’s core meaning is to be gathered together, to be twisted together (like a cord or rope), bound together. God commanded the waters to be gathered together into one place, and He wants us to be gathered to Him, bound to Him in faith and trust (Ecclesiastes 4:12, Romans 12:9); it is only when we cling to Him in this way that we can properly wait on the LORD each and every day.

I would like you to consider a picture that is formed from 2 Peter 1:5-8; I think it should help you better understand the Hebrew ‘qavah’. First, take time to read the passage.

Now think of it this way:

God the Father looks down in love and has thrown us a rope (Jesus). That rope is anchored firmly in Him and His abiding love (Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:8-10). We take hold of the rope, and in faith we cling to it and we don’t let go. We anchor our faith in the Truth, and our faith (our hold/grasp) grows stronger as we learn and obey; it grows as we add virtue (moral excellence), knowledge, self-control, perseverance (patient endurance), godliness (understanding who God is and who we are before Him), brotherly kindness to our daily walk, and as we learn to love as God loves (1 John 4:11).  We are tethered to God, and as we continue to obey His instruction, we diligently strengthen the bond between us and Him, building a lasting relationship with Him. We wait on Him, wholly trusting that we will see Him one day and remain with Him for eternity (1 John 3:1-3).

God has done His part; it is up to use to do ours. It is worth our every effort.  Are you ready to intertwine your life with God? To take hold of the rope He lovingly proffers and not let go? Are you ready to tighten your grip in trust and increased obedience? Are you ready to wait on the LORD?

You can do it! So can I!!

 

Sacrifices We Still Need to Offer – A Summary

    It is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada, so I thought a simple summary of our recent study would be suitable for those who may be busy today with family and friends and/or travel.

    While most everyone today is thankful that we do not need to offer up blood sacrifices or tithes* (first 10% of our income or crops) as they were commanded to do under the Old Covenant, there are sacrifices that we are commanded to offer to God in the New Covenant:

Present Your Bodies a Living Sacrifice  

“I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1 NKJV)

    When we realize that God in His mercy determined to share the good news of Jesus with the whole world (not just the children Of Israel), when we look at what He has done, continues to do, and promises yet to do, then we will come to the conclusion that offering Him our lives by making every effort to be holy and acceptable to Him (by being different than the world because we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, Romans 12:2) is the most sensible thing we can do in response to His love and provision.

Offer the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving

“For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:14-15 NKJV)

    We need to take the time to open our eyes to what God has done, continues to do, and promises yet to do. We need to fill our minds with such appreciation and gratitude that we cannot help but tell others of His grace and goodness, of His help, comfort, and strength provided through our troubles, His faithful love, and the hope He provided through His Son, Jesus. Speaking good things about God to others (and to Him) is an offering of praise, and giving Him thanks for what He has blessed us with is also an offering of praise! These are things we are to be offering to Him continually.

“Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name.” (1 Chronicles 29:14 NKJV)

The Sacrifice of Doing Good and Sharing

“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16 NKJV)

    All good and perfect gifts come from God (James 1:17), let’s freely share them with others (1 Timothy 6:17-19). God has taught us how to do good (1 Peter 2:19-23, 1 John 2:3-6, Romans 12:9-21), He provides us with opportunities to do good (Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 14:3-7, Galatians 6:9-10, James 1:27), and even provides us with the wherewithal to do good and to share (2 Corinthians 9:8) – let’s willing give and share God’s blessings with those around us!

The Sweet-Smelling Sacrifice of Supporting a Preacher

“Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet smelling aroma, and acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18 NKJV)

    Supporting faithful men who speak God’s truth is a wonderful sacrifice of our time, words, home, food, and money – it is well pleasing to God and allows these men to focus wholly on spiritual matters and not worry about material things. So let’s speak encouraging words to them (Ephesians 4:29), open our homes to them, offer them a seat at our table, help them out financially, and show them that we love God and hear His commands by growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), so they are always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)!  

    We need to acknowledge that there are still sacrifices we need to be offering to God: using our lives to become holy and acceptable to Him, using our hearts and lips to speak words of praise and thanksgiving, using the opportunities and wherewithal He provides to do good and to share with others, and using the same to support and encourage gospel preachers and teachers – with these sweet-smelling, acceptable sacrifices God is well pleased!

You can do it! So can I!!   

*tithe literally means ‘tenth.’ A tithe was first mentioned when Abram gave Melchizedek (a priest and king) a tenth of all (Genesis 14:18-19). Later, the Israelites were commanded to tithe (Leviticus 27:30, Proverbs 3:9-10, Malachi 3:10); their tithes provided for the Levites who served in the tabernacle (and later in the temple), and in turn the Levites would then offer a tithe of what they themselves received from the people’s tithes (Numbers 18:21-32). Under the New Covenant though, there is no command to tithe – no command to give 10% - God desires you to give only what you yourself have determined to give (a freewill offering), not grudgingly or because you were told you had to – God loves a cheerful giver. Please take time to read 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.     

Sacrifices We Still Need to Offer – Helping Support a Preacher

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”  (Philippians 4:13-18 NKJV)

    The apostle Paul, in the strength He gained through Christ, learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself, whether he had plenty or had need of many things. Paul trusted God to provide what was truly necessary (Matthew 6:25-34, Hebrews 4:14-16) so he could continue preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ.

    When we set our hearts to help – willing to sacrifice some of what God has blessed us with (Deuteronomy 8:18, 2 Corinthians 9:8, 1 Timothy 6:17-19) – we can be part of how God blesses those who faithfully preach and teach His word!

What does this sacrifice look like?

• Financial help – help relieve some of the cost of living so he can focus on preaching (Philippians 4:13-18, 2 Corinthians 11:6-9. 1 Corinthians 9:7-12)
• Hospitality – open your home and cupboard to him (2 Kings 4:8-10, Acts 16:15 and 40, Romans 12:13, 2 Timothy 1:16-18, Hebrews 13:2)
• Sincere words of encouragement – esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake (Ephesians 4:29, 2 Corinthians 7:5-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)
• Praying for them – pray that God grant them knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding, that they may know how to answer each one with grace (Matthew 9:37-38, 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, Ephesians 6:18-20, Colossians 4:2-6, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)
• Obeying God and growing - hearing his words, searching the scriptures to find out if the they are so, and applying them to your daily walk (Acts 17:11, 2 Corinthians 7:8-11, 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5, 2 Timothy 1:13, Hebrews 13:7, James 1:21-25, 2 Peter 3:17-18, etc.)

    This sacrifice that causes a sweet-smelling aroma and is acceptable and well pleasing to God can be any or all of those things mentioned above. If you are blessed with money – be generous. If you are blessed with space in your home or at your table – invite them in (If you don’t have space you can take the food to them). If you have a tender heart of care – build these men up with sincere words that will refresh and revitalize them. When you pray – remember them. When you hear them speak God’s word – listen attentively, follow in your Bible, obey God’s truth; your progress will be evident to the preacher and to all (1 Timothy 4:15).

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV)

    What a wonderful sacrifice it is to help support a man who faithfully proclaims God’s word! It is a sacrifice we still need to offer – are you ready?

You can do it! So can I!!