A God who acts for the one who waits for Him.   That is one concept that has captivated me from the very first time I read it.  But what does it really mean to “wait for God”?

No doubt, we all have either heard or said those words on countless occasions.  Generally what is meant is “I am waiting for God to come and act for me”   – In the same way that we might “wait for” a ride home.

As wonderful as it is to look for God’s help and even sincerely trust Him to turn a situation around for you – this is not what “waiting on God” really is.

The word “wait” in this context is the Hebrew word chakah.   Chakah means “to adhere to; to await”.  It has been translated in various instances as “remain”, “long”, and “wait”.   Accordingly, one who “waits for God” is one who devotedly adheres to Him, and expectantly awaits Him.   It is more than merely looking for Him to meet our needs and trying to be patient in the process.

To wait on the Lord is very closely related to the behavior of a loyal servant toward his master.   A servant who has devoted himself to his master adheres diligently to the master’s ways and order of operation.  He is keenly attune to his master’s voice and is attentive to his call at all times.   He attends to his master.   He waits on him.

He is not a slave that must be driven by a taskmaster.  He is a committed and trustworthy servant.   He has chosen to devote himself to his beloved master and serve him faithfully.   He serves out of love and loyalty, and not obligation.   It is an honor to him to be able to “wait on” his master.

In essence, that is what it means to “wait on God”.  Many times, it does include “waiting” – in the sense of a period of time of waiting.   Yet even in waiting for an answer from the Lord or for a promise to come to pass, our waiting is still a devoted act of adhering to Him, and an expectant attending to what He has said.

Habakkuk 2.3 says “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.  Though it tarries, WAIT FOR IT; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”   I love the way that verse reads.  It is saying that even though the vision or the promise tarries, lingers, or delays – we should WAIT FOR IT.   The reason we must wait for it is because, as the verse goes on to say,  IT WILL SURELY COME.   It is coming whether we wait for it or not.  But if we are going to get in on it, we must WAIT FOR IT.   We must adhere and attend to it.   We must remain attune to the Voice of God.

A few definitions of wait  are:  “to stay in a place or remain in readiness or in anticipation (until something expected happens); to be ready or at hand; await; to attend upon or escort, esp. as a token of respect or honor; to act as a servant to; to supply the needs or requirements of, to be in attendance to”.

In Isaiah 40.31 we are told that “those who wait upon 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.”

Obviously, there is something supernatural about waiting on God.   Surely waiting upon someone as an act of love and devotion would have its own rewards.   But when we attend upon the Lord, there is a supernatural force that comes into play on our behalf.  

This force is the Law of  Reciprocity.   The Law of Reciprocity can be applied in a varying number of ways – producing both positive and negative results.   It is a law of action and reaction.

Whenever we devote and adhere ourselves to God, there will always be a corresponding reaction back from Him in our behalf.   When we are attune and act on His behalf – He will act on ours.

This is not the case in the servant/master relationship.   That is why the first part of Isaiah 64.4 says what it does –   “Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You….”

Who had ever heard of a God, a Master, like this – a God Who acts for the one who WAITS FOR HIM!   It just hadn’t been done.   But this God we serve is not like man.   His ways are higher, and everything He does is SATURATED  in a Love too deep for mere human understanding.

Yet the truth remains, when one waits on God, attends to His business – God will without a doubt act for him, respond in his behalf.

“Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honored.”   –  Proverbs 27.18

The Hebrew word for “act” used in Isaiah 64.4 appears over 2600 times in the Old Testament.  It has been translated as “do, make, wrought, deal, commit, offer, execute, keep, show, prepare, work, perform, get, dress, maintain”.   In its broadest sense it means “accomplish, advance, appoint, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, finish, fit, fulfill, furnish, gather, govern, grant, bring to pass, procure, provide, serve, set, spend, be warrior, yield, use”.  Though it is not translated as such, this verb is used as a synonym for “create” in several instances.

I laid all these words out because I believe it is vitally important for us to have them before our eyes – since this is what the Lord will do for the one who “waits for Him”.   He will accomplish, create, fulfill, finish, bring to pass, provide, serve, and do for those who devotedly attend and await Him.

Waiting and Resting

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord.”   – Ps. 27.14

Waiting upon the Lord always involves a resting –  a state of rest.  Though attending Him often requires much work or effort, whatever He has for us to do will always carry an ease with it.   It is best that we refrain from any agitation or dis-ease that our flesh may try to drum up – and just yield to the rest and ease that God intends us to operate in.    As long as we are attentive to Him, He has promised that “they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”  – Isaiah 49.23

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.  It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”   – Lamentations 3.25-26

There is no struggling in waiting on God, as this verse describes in saying to “wait quietly” for His salvation.  It is a restful process as we but yield to it.   Resting as we wait on the Lord, meditating on His ways and all His goodness, strengthens our heart and enlarges our capacity to receive all that He has prepared to bestow upon us.

What glorious benefits await those who are wholeheartedly devoted and attentive to their God.  Because of their sincere love and loyalty to Him and His ways, He is overcome with compassion for them to pour out His goodness in every sphere of their lives.

It is for certain,   He is a God who  ACTS for the one who   …waits for Him.

Copyright  © October 2006

Sharah LaGail Wyatt  /  First Love Ministries International

P O Box 163974  Ft Worth, TX 76161  /  www.ps27fr.org

All Rights Reserved.