Isaiah 26:8-9a - Waiting Well

Scripture

Isaiah 26:8-9a Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD, we have waited for You eagerly; Your name even Your memory is the desire of our souls. At night my soul longs for You, indeed my spirit within me seeks You diligently.

Observation

As I study scripture I am blown away by how often we are called to wait on the LORD.  In a busy, fast-paced culture, the word "wait" seems like a word from a foreign dictionary.  We want it all and we want it now. So when God say's WAIT! We really don't know how. We have never been taught. So we grumble "are we there yet?". 

However, when we understand how to wait on God, we can wait well. According to Isaiah 26:8-9, we wait well by first following God's judgments. We are to be obedient to God's precepts.  Of course we have to know His word first before we can be obedient to it.

Secondly, we have to be eager in seeing God every day. We have to lay down our expectations of the day and put on our faith goggles to see what God is doing around us.

Third, we have to be selfless. God's name and memory must be the first and foremost desire of our hearts. We need to have a desire for God's name to be made famous throughout the world. 

And by reflecting on God's past faithfulness  and appreciating the season of waiting that we are in, His memory becomes the desire of our heart as well.  I want to wake up each day and make a great memory with God. How about you? What memories do you want to make with God today?

Bringing this concept full-circle, we wait well by being diligent in seeking Him through prayer and bible study each day. Diligence comes easier for some then it does others.  But God's grace is sufficient.  Through the power of His Spirit, He provides self-discipline to all those who ask.  Jesus said how much more will the Father give His Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:13).

When we wait well, God promises to perform mighty acts for us (Isaiah 64:4),  that we will gain new strength (Isaiah 40:31), and we will receive His goodness (Lam. 3:24-26). There are no doubt more promises, but these are a few that encourage me.

Application

A few months ago when I went into a season of waiting on God, I got on my knees and pleaded for His help. I know that I tend to try and run ahead of God. In my flesh I am an over-achiever that will sign up to do anything and everything.   Knowing this weakness, I called out for God to be my strength. He has delivered in such a mighty way. He is pouring out more and more of His Spirit on me and sanctifying me in His word daily. I am applying this principle in my life, but only by the power of His Spirit within me.

Prayer

God, my God, I thirst for You. Each day I wait eagerly at Your gates to hear what You have to say (Proverbs 8:34). How precious are Your thoughts to me O God (Psalm 139:17). I am grateful for this moment of rest and refreshing in Your word. I pray that each day Your light and faithful care would lead me to Your holy mountain, the place where You dwell (Psalm 43:3). Keep me always humble before You.  Help me, O God, to never seek the crown, but always seeking to bring You glory. And Father, please continue to help me wait well for You. I am grateful for Your grace in my weakness and how You have sustained me during this time.  I love You more than I could ever say.