Working While We Wait
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
God told Noah that he was going to destroy the earth; at least one hundred years passed before the first raindrop fell (Genesis 5:32; 7:6; 11:10). God revealed to Joseph that his brothers would bow before him; at least twenty years passed before they knelt at his feet in Egypt (Genesis 37:2; 41:46; 45:6). Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed for a child, but they were “very old” before God sent Gabriel to announce the birth of John (Luke 1:6–7, 13).
Waiting. And more waiting.
I believe God keeps his promises, but much of what I know about God in my head has a tough time traveling through my heart and into my actions. Maybe you struggle with that too. So what can we do to strengthen our ability to wait for God to act?
Noah, Joseph, Zechariah, and Elizabeth worked while they waited. Noah built an ark. Joseph labored diligently for his family, Potiphar, and the chief jailer. Zechariah and Elizabeth followed “all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly” (Luke 1: 6). None of them sat idle and fumed. Yes, they made mistakes. But they kept doing what needed to be done as they waited, no matter how menial or pointless it may have seemed. When they failed or other people failed them, they got back up and started again.
I’ve done my share of waiting. I was 32 when I met my husband. I’ve waited to sell a home, to buy a home, to find jobs. At this point in my faith journey, I’m waiting for my adult children to return to the faith they embraced as children. Yes, I battle worry, disappointment, and doubt. But I also remind myself of God’s promises, pray for his guidance, complete everyday tasks, and use my spiritual gifts to encourage others.
The Hebrew word often translated wait in the Bible is qavah. It means “to look for, hope, expect,” but it’s related to words that mean “to twist, to bind” and “to be strong.”[i] Spiritually speaking, to wait on the Lord is to cling to his promises and his unchanging character. That confidence provides the strength we need to live each day as though his promises have already been fulfilled.
Ask God each morning, “What’s on your to-do list for me today?” Then believe that he is working on your behalf as you work for him.
DIG DEEPER
What truths about God helped David to counsel his readers to “wait for the Lord” in Psalm 27? Which of those truths is most meaningful to you at this stage of your faith journey?
Read Lamentations 3:24-32. What are the challenges and benefits of waiting on the Lord?
According to Romans 4:19-21, what did Abraham learn while he waited on God? What has God taught you as you have waited for Him to answer a prayer or reveal His will?
Denise K. Loock
[i] “H6960 – qāvâ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (niv).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 23 Sep, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6960/niv/wlc/0-1/