Teach Me To Wait

Introduction: Scripture Reading- Isaiah 40:26-31

1. “But those who wait on 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-NKJV).

I am terrible at waiting.
However, beyond the petty things, there are events, circumstances, and seasons in life in which we are commanded to “wait on the Lord.”
But not only are we commanded to wait on the Lord, we are instructed how to wait on the Lord.
In this lesson, we will examine how we are to wait on the Lord.

Discussion:

Wait on the Lord, Being Sufficient (Content) in Him
1. (Lamentations 3:24).
  1. The Hebrew word that is translated “hope” (yawchal) in the KJV and NKJV, is translated as “wait” in the NIV. According to the Strong’s concordance, the Hebrew word means “to wait”.
2. The Lord is our portion (inheritance), he should be enough.
  1. (2 Corinthians 12:9).
    1. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” [Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”]; arkeho- to put a barrier up (stop, don’t go any further), to be content, to be enough
    2. (Gal. 3:26-29) “the LORD is my portion”
  2. (Philippians 4:11-13).
  3. (Matthew 5:6). “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
    1. John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
Wait on the Lord, Serving Him
1. (Lamentations 3:25). [to frequent, to pursue or search for]
  1. This passage employs Hebrew parallelism, meaning that the way you wait for the Lord is equated with seeking him.
  2. If the living knew what the dead know, they would find themselves in a frantic search of God.
2. (Acts 20:35; Ephesians 2:10).
  1. Acts 20:35 “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
  2. Eph. 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Wait on the Lord Silently
1. (Lamentations 3:26). [doomawm- quietly wait]
2. (Psalm 62:5).
  1. Dawmam- root word for doomawm
  2. Tikvaw- literally an attachment or cord, figuratively expectancy, to hope or long for
    1. Same as the word kawvaw (vs. 25 “unto them that wait for”.
3. Don’t question the character of God and charge him foolishly.
4. Don’t lose your influence by your loud complaining about your circumstances. (Philp. 2:14-15)
  1. Philp. 2:14-15 “14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
  2. Matt. 5:43-48
5. (Isaiah 53:7).
  1. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
    1. Matt. 27:11-14 “And when he was accused…he answered nothing.”
    2. Luke 22:42 as Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Jesus went to the cross willingly, because it was a part of the Father’s plan for salvation, he did not murmur or complain.

Conclusion:

Let’s realize that we must all wait on the Lord at some time in our lives.
And when we are called upon to wait, let us wait in the manner God wants us to wait.
When we honor his will, our time of waiting will not only strengthen our faith but will be evidence of our faith to others.
Invitation
1. Hear
2. Believe
3. Repent
4. Confess your faith
5. Be immersed
6. Live faithful unto death