Regular readers of my blog and viewers of the videos produced by Rudy Ross and me are aware that I’ve been gradually studying the book of Isaiah in my morning devotions. Today, I encountered a passage that captures in one verse the essence of God’s message through Isaiah.
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him. Isaiah 30.18
In John Oswalt’s Commentary on Isaiah, he makes this observation: God has to wait on us to be willing to wait on Him. Until we run out of our own best ideas, we’re not ready to hear from God.
God is a just and loving God, and He will bless us once we’re willing to wait on Him.
Waiting on God involves choosing Him as the first option for our life. We don’t have a fallback option. We simply trust Him, no matter what.
Choosing to wait on God during morning devotions isn’t overly challenging. However, the real test comes when we’re tempted, faced with fear, or anxious about our future. In these moments, the lure of quicker, more convenient solutions becomes apparent.
The leaders heeded the guidance of the Spirit of God and Haggai, opting to trust in God’s Word over their own self-interests.
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people feared the Lord (Haggai 1.12).
In our recent study of the Book of Proverbs, I discovered what I consider the best definition of the fear of the Lord. First, it involves entering into a relationship with Him, where love is the defining characteristic.
Second, it involves humbly listening to His guidance. And third, it includes acting on the directions He provides. Interestingly, this approach mirrors the response of the people to God’s actions during the era of Haggai.
As we apply this principle to our lives, there are some things we can do regularly.
We can begin our morning by renewing our love relationship with God. During that communication, we can ask God to reveal to us what assignments He has for us for the day. We can ask Him to give us the power to carry them through.
We can unload any of the burdens that we have on Him also during that time.
Many things can take place that establish our day as one where we’re living in the fear of the Lord.
Renew Your Strength
A well-known Bible verse frequently featured on greeting cards and numerous Facebook images also emphasize the importance of waiting on the Lord.
Those 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. Isaiah 40.31
When we act on our own, relying solely on our self-sufficiency and independence from God, we bear the burden of ensuring the success of our efforts.
Conversely, by placing our trust in God, we allow Him to provide the necessary resources to achieve our goals.
When the leaders and followers in Haggai’s time surrendered control of their life plans, it allowed God the opportunity to provide them with the strength needed to fulfill everything according to His will.
Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.”
And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God (Haggai 1.13-14).
Haggai and Isaiah highlight the difference between making our own plans and asking God to bless them, as opposed to uncovering God’s plans, following them, and observing His blessings unfold.
Ultimately, when the leaders in Haggai’s narrative yielded to God, they encountered His presence and His power.
We would do well to take lessons from Isaiah and Haggai, where the primary theme is to prioritize trusting in God, emphasizing the importance of waiting on Him.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 