Greetings again my Brethren. This month we will start a new section, a critical section as we look at the proper characteristics of our waiting before the LORD. Anything we do in and for God must be done in God’s proper order. Order matters. The order of words found in a run of words in the Bible matters. The order of names matter. The Holy Spirit did not just throw the Bible together in any order, but ordered properly things in sequence for His meaning and functionality of truth. Now as we look at the characteristics the order I discuss them in is not important, but what is important is are these characteristics operating and functioning in our lives. If not then we are OUT of proper order with what God wants to see in our lives. I first will identify a characteristic then a verse that supports my thoughts and expound. The first of ten characteristics is early. In Proverbs we read, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” (Proverbs 8:17). Now the use of the word “early” is not describing a time of the day like 2:00 am or even the time in of a person’s life like early is his childhood, but here the word “early” is used without procrastination and before other interests. I will agree it is good to seek the LORD early, as in the morning hours while our mind is empty from the day and all is usually quiet and it is good to seek the LORD as a child. Lamentations encourages us, “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” (Lamentations 3:26-27) The word “youth” in verse 27 tells us this is happening early in the life of a man. But in Proverbs we see Solomon is talking about not waiting for something else to happen (while keeping our mouth shut) and/or ahead of other competing interests in situations, events, and circumstances in our lives we wait to see what God says about things. So often we want to do and say things we believe God wants us to say and do, but in reality we are wrong. The wrong is not the saying and the doing, but the not waiting to hear what God has to say about the issue, etc. We want to see people come to Christ right now. We want to pray for people and see them healed right now, well God may not want to see these things happen at this time. God may be working in hearts and lives beyond our understanding and when we jump in like a bull in a china shop we can mess things up. No we need to wait for God’s proper order and when we get His order we are to smartly move out, but until then we wait for Him to speak to us. The second Characteristic is daily. Again in Proverbs, “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.” (Proverbs 8:34-35) This type of waiting should be systematic and not spasmodic. Here Solomon is telling us we must not be double minded or tossed like children on every wind of doctrine, but be solid in our resolve and steadfast in our desire to hear from God. So many Christians are wishy washy, hot one day for God then the next day cold, up and down like a roller coaster, willing to run towards the sound of the guns one day, but another day we hide under our beds. God cannot use such folks. We must be able to see the big picture of what God is doing in any given situation and how we fit in. This will only happen when we can systematically (step by step) see the part we play in what God is doing and the only way to get your part is to wait on Him. The next characteristics is also taken from Proverbs 8:34-35 and is watchfully. Here we are alert to His response, but with strain and stress. So many Christians are not very watchful they have no spiritual wherewithal, they do not know the difference between ungodly and godly, between righteous and unrighteous, between spiritual and unspiritual. And why? They lack the sense of righteous judgment. They are not watchful or have the ability in God to look at a situation or issue and see what God is doing in it. Our zeal and lack of situational awareness will only lead to us stepping on our toes and God’s. Jesus gives us this example in Luke, “The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” (Luke 12:46) Here the servant (seemingly a Christian) was not watching and his lord suddenly came (not sure what he was doing maybe eating and drinking or sleeping like the five foolish virgins) and “cut him in sunder” (not sure if that is figuratively), but then the lord gives is portion away to the unbelievers. This seems like a heavy price to pay for slumbering, but it was not the sleeping that caused the stiff penalty from the lord, but the servant’s inability to be able to judge when the lord would show up and ask his servant to give accord of himself. Unless we wait on God and get an ability to be able to judge ourselves, situations, even people we will never be watchful and know what to do.
Next month we will continue looking at the seven other proper characteristics of our waiting. Walter Beuttler said if you build God a temple He will inhabit it. Have you built God a temple? If you do He will abide and wait for you. Written by David Stahl
