Wait on the Lord


 Wait on the Lord... renew your strength... wait on the Lord...there is blessing in the storm... wait on the Lord.

Almost a year ago now I have a very vivid memory of ironing some clothes while crying and asking God, "why?" Ironing is not a task that I choose to do unless it's absolutely necessary. I had accumulated quite a bit of it. Over the years it has been common for me, when ironing or folding laundry, to watch TV. And there's nothing wrong with that. But, I was at a place of desperation and a place of waiting on the Lord like I had never known. So, I was listening to a Podcast message while ironing.

Shortly after the conclusion of the message, a song came to my mind. I started singing it.

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on the wings
Like eagles

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

Cause You are, You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on the wings
Like eagles

From everlasting to everlasting
God, You are everlasting

(Chris Tomlin's Everlasting God)

When I was done listening and singing, I was thinking about the verse that this song is based from which happens to also be the theme verse for the school my younger two children attend and where I work. Isaiah 40:31, "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

"But God, why aren't you answering my prayers? Why am I going through this? This is wrong... my suffering is the result of someone else's sin. How long?" I was making my case. I found myself in the company of David who asked many times, "How long?" In Psalm 6:3 David pleads, "My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?"

Wait on the Lord.

Then, the next morning, I opened my laptop and went to Bible Gateway to discover the verse of the day was none other than Isaiah 40:31. After reading the verse, which is already one that I have memorized, I heard my middle child who was just waking up start singing, "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord."

He wasn't even home the day before when I'd been singing it. I had to take a deep breath and say, "I hear you, God. I will wait on You. Help me to do that. Help me remember your promises when I fear and doubt. Let me trust You completely."

Now a constant prayer of mine is that I live a surrendered life and daily (hourly) have a willing heart, open hands, listening ears to discern God's voice and plan for my life. There is a constant battle, but it is worth it...

2 Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,"

God, help me to continue to live my life in submission to You! I wait on You!


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