Why Wait?

As a lupus patient, I spend a lot of time waiting in doctors’ offices – a LOT of time. As much as I loathe waiting, I have learned to use my wait times in doctors’ offices more productively. Sometimes I read my Bible or a book to prepare for an upcoming study. Sometimes I pray over my doctor’s appointment or for those in the waiting room. And sometimes, especially as I wait in the exam room itself, I read my doctors’ diplomas, which are often carefully displayed on exam room walls as I wait.

Have you ever wondered why doctors display their diplomas there?

Diplomas speak to credentials. They tell us that the doctor is qualified to treat us. He or she has undergone the necessary training to examine us, hopefully making him or her worth the wait.

That got me thinking about God’s credentials, which are displayed all over His Word. Throughout the pages of Scripture, we see how God moved among His people, delivering them from enemies, parting seas, feeding them miraculously, and providing for their needs. Throughout the ages, God has been faithful to speak, correct, encourage, discipline, and direct.

While we wait on God to answer our prayers, we would do well to meditate on His credentials, detailed in His Word. He is Jehovah Rapha, able to heal what ails us. He is Jehovah Jireh, able to provide for our every need. He is El-Shaddai, the Almighty, All-Sufficient One who can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think.

But what does it even mean to wait on God? Have you ever wondered?

Waiting on the Lord means “praying while eagerly and hopefully expecting God to do what only He can do, while doing what I can do.”

I like this definition for several reasons. It denotes that we pray while we wait. Praying is a CRITICAL component of waiting on God. Waiting on God isn’t biting our nails with worry or sitting on our hands. Waiting on God means we wait expectantly. We pray, depending on God, as we communicate faithfully and hopefully with the Almighty.

This definition also explains that there are things that we can do while there are things only God can do. For example, we may pray and wait on God to open up employment while simultaneously applying for jobs.

Today’s verse tells us we can be strengthened while we wait. We can take heart and have courage while we wait on God.

This devotional by Carol Eskaros is available at Bible.com.