Greetings again my Brethren. When we think of the benefits of waiting for and on God we never scratch the surface of God’s intentions for us. We only have examples we find in the Scriptures, but more important to us is some personal experiences we discover when we take time and separate ourselves from this world and our self for time spent with God. Oh if we knew of the pleasures for ever more that awaited us in sublime silence we would run to find a quiet place of surrender. This month we will take a look at the book of Lamentations to discover God’s opportunity to demonstrate His goodness to us. In Lamentation we read, “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him. He putting his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full of reproach. For the LORD will not cast off forever.”
(Lamentations 3:25-31) Now this is a promise that the LORD is good unto them that wait” that right there should be enough for us to desire to just wait on Him. If we wait on Him he will show us His goodness. Not His glory, but His goodness. In Exodus God told Moses, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” (Exodus 33:19) I wonder what the goodness of the LORD looks like? I wonder what is the proclamation of the name of the LORD? This was all done for Moses after God said, “My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest.” (Exodus 33:14) (which is BHG theme verse) Now let us put this into context. This all happened after Moses stood in the presence of God for 40 days. What is waiting before God? Is it waiting on God to move on your behalf, well maybe, but this is not what Moses did oh no. Moses drew aside from living and got quiet and listened with his hearing ear for the voice of the LORD while his spirit was going up before God in worship; no words spoken, no reading, no praying just waiting before God. Silently and still quietly concentrating on the LORD waiting for God to speak. Even in prayer I wonder why we think we need to open the prayer? And why do we think we should get the last word? Later in Exodus we read to get the second tablet of the 10 Commandments Moses stood another 40 days communing with God. Maybe God trusts only those who commune with Him? Something to ponder I am sure. It seems the more and the longer we wait the more revelation we get. God does not love Moses any more than He loves us, but could it be Moses loved God more than we might love Him?
Next month we will continue to look at the benefits of waiting on God. Walter Beuttler said if you build God a temple He will inhabit it. Have you built God a temple? If you do He will abide and wait for you.
