1-24-99 The Waiters Psalm 27

By Ronald E. George Jr.

How well do you wait? Waiting in today’s fast paced society is seen as a problem. You have to wait when something isn’t working properly or when there is a problem. If there has been a wreck on the highway you have to wait in line to get through. If there are too many people in line then you have to wait your turn. Some folks like to jump the line try to get ahead, because they just can’t stand to wait. Someone once said "wait is what broke the wagon down." We plan our lives so that we won’t have to wait. We want to keep on moving. Is waiting a good thing to a Christian? One popular phrase is "I just can’t wait." Christians can’t afford not to wait. We have to wait… Waiting is a fact of life that none of us can avoid. But the waiting that we are discussing here today is a way of life that people choose to do. Can you believe that some people would choose to wait? When I worked at Bonanza, I was a waiter. I waited on people to get finished eating and then I would clean up the mess. Waiting was my job. As followers of God, waiting is our life. We should be or become waiters on the Lord. The very fabric of today’s society pushes against this fundamental requirement for following God. Don’t go alone through your life. Will we Wait on the Lord?

Scripture Text: Psalms 27:1-9, 14. Is. 40:31

Psal 27:1 (KJS) [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. {came...: Heb. approached against me} 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. 4 One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. {the beauty: or, the delight} 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. {joy: Heb. shouting} 7 Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8 [When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. {When...: or, My heart said unto thee, Let my face seek thy face, etc} 9 Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

Key Verses: Psal 27:14 (KJS) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Isai 40:31 (KJS) But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

Are you waiting for the Lord? Am I waiting for the Lord?

What does it mean to wait? Wait in the dictionary is defined as:

NOUN An act or the time of waiting, stay

VERB To continue to be in a place, remain stay linger abide bide tarry, To stop temporarily and remain, as if reluctant to leave, pause linger abide bide tarry

From The American Heritage Dictionary.

Wait in the Bible is defined as:

AV - wait , look, wait for, look for, gathered, to look for, hope, expect, to wait or look eagerly for, to lie in wait for, to linger for.

God: "If God wants us to do a thing, He should make his wishes sufficiently clear. Sensible people will wait till He has done this before paying much attention to Him." from Samuel Butler (1835-1902)

English author From The Concise Columbia Dictionary of Quotations

Independence: The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American philosopher, author, naturalist. From The Concise Columbia Dictionary of Quotations

Pericles† c. 495-429 BC

Wait for that wisest of all counselors, Time.

From Plutarch, Lives, Pericles, sec. 18, From Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

How do you become a waiter?

  1. Choose to not go through life alone. Who is the only one who can always be with you every where you go? Who is the only one who will never falter or fail? Who is the only one who will never forget? Because God is omnipotent and omnipresent, he is the only one who could possibly be with you all the time. Will you choose God to be your God? Then we must wait on him throughout our life. The waiters on the Lord Choose to recognize God as God of their lives.

2. Look for the Lord. The waiters on the Lord are aware of his ever-working presence in the circumstances of our lives. They are aware. Be Aware! Seek the Lord.

4 One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 8 [When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

3. Trust in Him to do what is Good and Right for you. Depend on Him to defend you and protect you. Be confident in the Lord’s ability even though you are weak. He is strong. 1 (KJS) [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident

  1. Don’t rush ahead. Depend on him and accept God’s gift to you of time. In the Lord’s time and according to the Lord’s plan our lives will be worked out according to his plan.
  2. Allow the Lord to renew you Strengthen and Encourage you. As the eagle depends on that unseen force of the wind to push him up and hold him up, we must wait on the Lord to hold us up. We can soar like an high above our enemies of life or we can walk with our own strength in the midst of our problems. It is our choice. We can wait on the Lord. Will we wait on the Lord to become who he wants us to be?

The Scottish preacher John McNeill liked to tell about an eagle that had been captured when it was quite young. The farmer who snared the bird put a restraint on it so it couldn't fly, and then he turned it loose to roam in the barnyard. It wasn't long till the eagle began to act like the chickens, scratching and pecking at the ground. This bird that once soared high in the heavens seemed satisfied to live the barnyard life of the lowly hen.

One day the farmer was visited by a shepherd who came down from the mountains where the eagles lived. Seeing the eagle, the shepherd said to the farmer, "What a shame to keep that bird hobbled here in your barnyard! Why don't you let it go?" The farmer agreed, so they cut off the restraint. But the eagle continued to wander around, scratching and pecking as before. The shepherd picked it up and set it on a high stone wall. For the first time in months, the eagle saw the grand expanse of blue sky and the glowing sun. Then it spread its wings and with a leap soared off into a tremendous spiral flight, up and up and up. At last it was acting like an eagle again.

What is it within a Christian that keeps him/her above water?

For skiers it's not the downhill action with all its thrill of movement and speed that is a problem. It's going back uphill. But now a new ski craze has been introduced to North America. Known as skisailing, it enables a skier with the aid of a sail, or parachute- type device, to ski uphill.

Does your path seem uphill all the way? Then, are you learning to use the winds of God to turn what must remain always a drudgery apart from God into a delight? After all, God's promise is: "They shall mount up with wings...." Stop laboring in your own strength, and start resting in His.

Once my hands were always trying;

Trying hard to do my best;

Now my heart is sweetly trusting,

And my soul is all at rest.

Once my brain was always planning,

And my heart, with cares oppressed;

Now I trust the Lord to lead me,

And my life is all at rest.

Once my life was full of effort,

Now 'tis full of joy and zest;

Since I took His yoke upon me,

Jesus gives to me His rest.