Wait for the Lord

In the Lord I take refuge.

How then can you say to me:

“Flee like a bird to your mountain."

Psalm 11:1

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Sometimes having faith means doing nothing. Sometimes trusting in God means standing still. I am reminded of how the Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that, "There is a time for everything." This is also true of our faith. There are times when we ought to charge forward in faith. For example, anytime we have a clear command of God to obey. But there are also times when we must stand still and wait in faith. Sooner or later, you will face something bigger than you, something that is completely out of your control. And all you will be able to do is ask for God's help and wait.

Both charging forward and sitting still can be powerful expressions of faith in God's willingness to act on our behalf. We need to be adept at doing both, because the Christian life will require both out of us. I believe one reason why the Lord puts in in situations in which we must wait on Him is that it removes any ambiguity about who is acting. It's all too easy for me to charge ahead thinking that I'm putting my faith in God into action when all I am really doing is putting my faith in my own abilities into action. But when I have to sit still and wait on the Lord to act on my behalf, there isn't any confusion about who is acting. My faith must be purely in God then. 

So, if God has placed you in a situation that is beyond your control, if He is asking you to wait on Him to act, then know that you are not alone. When David wrote these psalms he was in real, physical danger. His enemies were plotting or even marching against him. Yet, he learned to wait on the Lord, to trust God to come to his rescue. There are times when even the mightiest warriors can do nothing but exercise their faith by sitting and waiting. This was an invaluable lesson for David, and it will be for you as well. If God has called you to such a time today, then trust Him to carry you through it.

Matthias Waited

And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:24-26

Have you ever been passed over for something that was then given to someone who didn't deserve it? Maybe it was a promotion at work that went to the kiss-up. Or perhaps your crush chose someone else over you, someone who just wasn't good for them. Whatever it was, I bet you've felt this way at least once. And if you are anything like me then you probably whined and complained and raged about the unfairness of it all. Well, the next time you feel this way, think about Matthias.

Scripture tells us that Matthias had been with Jesus and the twelve disciples from the very beginning, "from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us” (Acts 1:22). But in spite of that Jesus didn't choose Matthias to be one of the twelve. From all that we know, Matthias was a faithful follower with a good reputation who had followed Jesus for three and a half years right alongside the other disciples, yet he had been passed over...for Judas. 

I wonder if Matthias ever felt overlooked? Did he ever think Jesus had made a mistake not choosing him? We know that Judas not only betrayed Jesus in the end but that he also embezzled money from the ministry along the way (John 12:4-6). Did Matthias ever question Judas'  place among the twelve? If he did, Scripture doesn't mention it. In fact, this is the only passage in all of Scripture that mentions Matthias at all. He is never mentioned before or after his selection to replace Judas. So why does it matter?

Consider what Jesus said to the twelve disciples (including Judas) in Matthew 19:28: "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Jesus said this before Judas was revealed as a traitor. At the time, Matthias could not have known that this saying would one day apply to him. He was overlooked on earth from a human perspective, but he was not unnoticed. Although he may have felt unappreciated for years, God had a special place reserved for him in eternity. On earth, Matthias wasn't chosen for a center stage role. He was called to work behind the scenes, to humble himself and faithfully follow the Lord while he waited for God to lift him up. He trusted that God saw his good deeds and that God would reward him in due time. And God did! 

So don't be discouraged if you feel underutilized or passed over or forgotten by God. He has a part for you to play and your reward is secure. Don't waste your time coveting someone else's role. If you will be zealously faithful in doing what God has called you to do, you can be confident that even if you feel passed over in this world you will not go unnoticed in heaven.

Feeling Forgotten

In you, Lord my God,

  I put my trust.

I trust in you;

  do not let me be put to shame,

  nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one who hopes in you

  will ever be put to shame... 

My eyes are ever on the Lord,

    for only he will release my feet from the snare.

(Psalm 25: 1-3 & 15)

When you were a kid, did you ever have to wait on your parents to pick you up? Maybe there was a time when your parents were later than usual. All the other kids were gone already, and there you were sitting on the steps alone, wondering if Mom or Dad had forgotten you. Well, sometimes life can feel rather like that. Even though we try hard to convince ourselves that we are the masters of our own destiny, in reality much of our lives are spent feeling like we did as a child: powerlessly waiting. Maybe you're trying to get pregnant, or hoping to be able to retire soon, or looking to get accepted to a college, or even waiting for love to find you. In times like these you may wonder, "Has God forgotten about me?" "Surely, I thought He would have answered my prayer by now." "What is He waiting on?" "Why won't He give me what I need?" 

If you find yourself waiting on God today, read Psalm 25. The psalmist finds himself waiting on the Lord to act in his defense, to vindicate him and free him from the snare of his enemies. There is a lot of soul nourishing wisdom in this psalm, but allow me to unpack just one piece of advice for you. Look in verse three. There the psalmist reminds himself, "No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame." Often while you wait on God you will have to fight off doubts and fears just like you did as a child. As I sat on those steps waiting I would say to myself. "I know Mom wouldn't forget me. She probably just got stuck in traffic. Just wait. She'll be here. Just wait." This is exactly what the psalmist is doing! He reminds himself that God won't abandon him. God is faithful! He never abandons those who place their hope in Him. Even when we don't understand His plan, even and especially when we don't understand His timing, we can continue to trust, continue to wait in hope, because we know on whom we are waiting. God won't abandon you! "My eyes are ever on the Lord," the psalmist says, "for only He will release my feet from the snare." Keep your eyes focused on Him, continue to trust in who He is, and the waiting gets easier.