“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Psalm 37:7
Isaiah 40:31 “…they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31
Let us look at the benefits of waiting for and upon Yehovah. Before the ascension, Yeshua told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem till the Ruach Hakodesh filled them with the power they would need to fulfil the work He was calling them to do. Had they started prematurely they would have been unprepared and ill-equipped for the calling on their lives. When we catch a vision of Yehovah’s plans for our futures, we may instinctively try to fulfil them in our own strength. But the Scriptures speak many times of the importance of waiting for Yehovah’s perfect timing to move. Army trainees, learning to march, often have a sergeant who shouts, “By the left, quick…” Sometimes they pause, interjecting, “wait for it…, MARCH!” They must wait for the right time before moving. In sports, the “starter” calls out “On your marks, get set…” Only when they say “GO!” or fire the starting pistol should the athletes start. If they move too soon, it is termed a “false start” and they have to begin the process all over again. There is no advantage gained by setting off earlier than the right, or ‘due’ time. Yehovah’s timing is always perfect, as He sees the big picture and He knows best. WAIT FOR HIM! Our scripture from Isaiah 40:31 can, of course, be read and understood in exactly the same way, waiting for Yehovah. But let us consider a wonderful truth contained in the term, “waiting upon” Yehovah, particularly when it comes to growing closely acquainted with Yehovah and with Yeshua, our Saviour. If you have eaten in a restaurant you have probably had both poor, as well as excellent, service. Poor service is when your waiter, or server, is inattentive, off-hand and even rude. You have probably felt unappreciated, and even considered leaving without eating. No doubt you felt unwilling to give a gratuity for such poor service. However, when your waiter is attentive, pleasant, helpful and friendly, you have wanted to thank and reward them for ensuring you had a great experience. While not implying that Yehovah is like a self-centred restaurant customer, it is worthwhile asking yourself, when you spend time with your Saviour, which of these two “waiters” are you? Do you truly wait upon Him with a heart of love and adoration?