Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Friday, January 24, 2014

Wait

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. -- Psalms 27:14, KJV


From Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 27:7-14 --

... God's time to help those that trust in him, is, when all other helpers fail. He is a surer and better Friend than earthly parents are, or can be. What was the belief which supported the psalmist? That he should see the goodness of the Lord. There is nothing like the believing hope of eternal life, the foresights of that glory, and foretastes of those pleasures, to keep us from fainting under all calamities. In the mean time he should be strengthened to bear up under his burdens. Let us look unto the suffering Saviour, and pray in faith, not to be delivered into the hands of our enemies. Let us encourage each other to wait on the Lord, with patient expectation, and fervent prayer.

What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should be patient?
(Job 6:11)

If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my service I would wait,
till my renewal should come.
(Job 14:14)

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
(Psalms 25:3)

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD!
(Psalms 31:24)

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
(Psalms 37:7)

Do not say, I will repay evil;
wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
(Proverbs 20:22)

In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
(Isaiah 26:8)

[B]ut they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:31)

The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
(Lamentations 3:25-26)

So you, by the help of your God, return,
hold fast to love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.
(Hosea 12:6)

For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.
(Habakkuk 2:3)

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:23-25)

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
(Galatians 5:5)

5 comments:

julie said...

Ah, patience and trust. A timely reminder. Thanks, Mush.

mushroom said...

There's been a lot of things going on, and if I don't step back and "wait", I just can't handle it anymore. I'm too old to be worried and stressed all the time.

robinstarfish said...

Well that was timely, here at the end of the rope.

John Lien said...

There is nothing like the believing hope of eternal life, the foresights of that glory, and foretastes of those pleasures, to keep us from fainting under all calamities.

The writing is not really my style (maybe it is just dated) but I can't argue with the man.

I've pretty much come to the realization that there isn't going to be justice in this world. It is one thing to be told that, another to finally know it. So it is wait and put up with life's unpleasantness and injustice and be grateful when things sometimes work out.

Heck, y'all know this anyhow.

mushroom said...

I had no idea Friday how timely it would be on Saturday for me. God is all right.