Wait - Yes - Wait on the Lord

Psalm 27:7-14

“Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!  You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help.  Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!  For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.  Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.  Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.  I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!  Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

How often have you and I needed guidance, a big decision that will impact our family and we need a clear word from the Lord, and like David, we cry out be gracious to me and answer me?  And the only thing that we get back is to seek me, seek my face, and do not lean on your own understanding.  But do we, or does the busyness of life and the tyranny of the urgent steal our seeking God’s face?

Like David, it is always in my mind what God has done for me; let me give two examples of my early days at 3M.  I was in the Business Product group and just knew any day they would replace me with someone that had a college degree and had better skills than I.  Loading a copy machine in my car trunk, and I saw a young guy dressed in a nice suit go into the office, and fear filled my heart.  At that moment I heard a voice in my head, saying Bob, you are very good at this job, do not fear someone taking your place.  By faith, I got into my car and never looked back, and became one of the tops in sales for that division.  

My second example is a few years later, and I’m taking two of the bosses from our headquarters to the airport, and they ask me to park the car and come in for a drink.  I did, and at some point, I realized we had company for dinner, and I was going to be late.  I told them I had to go and got in my car and took the wrong road.  It was getting dark, and I turned on my lights and was going very fast, when lights came on about 100 yards up the street, and a car began to move.  I hit my brakes and stopped about 10 yards from a drainage ditch, 20 feet deep and 20 feet wide.  It was clear that God had my full attention at that moment.  That night I had my last drink in a bar, and no desire to do so again.  Do not tell me you were lucky, that is wrong to the bone, in fact, there is no such thing as luck, but God, who has total control over the affairs of mankind.

The last take away is the essential word, “Wait” yes wait on the Lord, His timing is not our timing, but when we wait He will change our troubled heart into contentment and joy does come in the morning.  Do you recall Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice