This post is part of my 31 day journey through Andrew Murray's devotional treatise, "Waiting on God". You can find my reasons for this journey at this link.
Psalm 37:7-9 - Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him...but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
From Andrew Murray: "In patience possess your souls." "You have need of patience." "Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire."
"Such words of the Holy Spirit show us what an important element in the Christian life and character patience is. And nowhere is there a better place for cultivating or displaying it than in waiting on God. There we discover how impatient we are, and what our impatience means."
"If we truly set ourselves to wait upon God, we shall find that it is with Him we are impatient, because He does not at once, or as soon as we could wish, do our bidding."
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Yes, for Him. Seek not only the help, the gift you need, seek Himself; wait for Him. Give God his glory by resting in Him, by trusting him fully, by waiting patiently for Him. This patience honors Him greatly; it leaves Him, as God on the throne, to do His work; it yields self wholly into His hands. It lets God be God. If your waiting be for some special request, wait patiently. If our waiting be more than the exercise of the spiritual life seeking to know and have more of God, wait patiently. Whether it be in the shorter specific periods of waiting, or as the continuous habit of the soul; rest in the Lord, be still before the Lord, and wait patiently."
Are you as hard-headed as me? This is the 11th time Andrew Murray has commissioned me to wait on the Lord. But, I have been waiting impatiently, and it has finally dawned on me what my impatience means. "I want it my way, and I want it now." "OK, here I am waiting God, but could you please hurry it up, I'm in pain here."
"Certainly", I said to my soul, "this is not waiting on God".
Then I saw Murray's words, "Give God his glory by resting in Him...patience honors Him greatly." "Hmmm", I thought staring out the window, "take your eyes off yourself, and place them upon the service of waiting, thereby bringing glory to God...it honors Him greatly."
After 11 readings, the light bulb is finally beginning to go on.
Abba, 20 more days I will study in the discipline of waiting on you. Please teach me, and teach me well.
Oh my soul, wait only on God!
