A VITAL EXERCISE - WAITING ON GOD!

There are two expressions in the Word of God which, in a special way, mark out Old Testament godliness — the fear of the Lord and waiting upon God. Not much is heard of either today. Is it because the grace, the experience, is lacking?

Read carefully the Old Testament. You will be amazed how many references there are to “waiting on the Lord,” and not only so. What many exhortations are given to wait upon God, and what precious promises are made to those who are enabled so to do!

We believe that one of the great weaknesses in our churches today is a lack of this gracious exercise. We believe it will be for the health of our churches if the Holy Spirit should revive it. “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.”

What, then, is it to wait on God? Many mistakes are made here. It is not just waiting; waiting can be a mark of spiritual sloth. In true waiting upon God there are four ingredients, sweetly compounded together, as in the holy incense made by the art of the apothecary “tempered together, pure and holy” (Exod. 30:35). These four ingredients are, trust, seeking the Lord, prayer, and expectance.

How necessary to wait on the Lord at all times — when young and when old, in sorrow and in joy, in natural things and in spiritual things!

As led by the Spirit, we need to wait on the Lord Jesus, to seek His face, and as sinners implore the blessings of His mercy and forgiveness, and an interest in His precious blood. And they that wait for the Lord shall not be ashamed.

We need to wait on the Lord, seeking to know and do His holy will, exercising great distrust of ourselves and begging to be delivered from our own will, our own self.

We need to wait on the Lord in the day of trouble, casting all our care upon Him, imploring Him either to remove our burdens, or give us grace to bear them.

In true prayer we wait on the Lord, confessing our sin, thanking Him for His mercy, longing to see His face.

When the Word of God is carefully and prayerfully read, then we wait upon Him, seeking to hear His voice, and where needful to be corrected and reproved; above all, to find Christ there.

There should be a waiting on God in the Lord’s house. O to be delivered from dead formality; “just another service!” Rather, like Cornelius: “We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” May there be that waiting before His face, seeking to hear His voice, longing for the blessing; that waiting with a sense of holy expectancy. “Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors.”

Longing to see better days in Zion and peace upon Israel, we pray that this gracious exercise might be revived among us. (Are our churches waiting on the Lord for godly ministers, and, if favoured with this, that their ministry might be blessed?)

Let us seek grace to wait on the Lord, viewing His power — “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think;” His compassion — “touched with the feeling of our infirmities;” His faithfulness — “Hath He said, and shall He not do it?”

“My soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from Him.”

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