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 40:1-3 - I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
I have no words to add to the counsel of this departed saint, on this day. I will simply let him speak through my blog:
"Come and listen to the testimony of one who can speak from experience of the sure and blessed outcome of patient waiting upon God. True patience is so foreign to our self-confident nature; it is so indispensable in our waiting upon God; it is such an essential element of true faith that we may well once again meditate on what the word has to teach us.
The word "patience" is derived from the Latin word for suffering. It suggests the thought of being under the constraint of some power from which we want to be free. At first we submit against our will; experience teaches us that when it is vain to resist, patient endurance is our wisest course. In waiting on God it is of infinite consequence that we not only submit because we are compelled to, but because we lovingly and joyfully consent to be in the hands of our blessed Father. Patience then becomes our highest blessedness and our highest grace. It honors God, and gives Him time to have His way with us. It is the highest expression of our faith in His goodness and faithfulness. It brings the soul perfect rest in the assurance that God is carrying on His work. It is the token of our full consent that God should deal with us in such a way and time as He thinks best. True patience is the losing of our self-will in His perfect will.
Such patience is needed for the true and full waiting on God. Such patience is the growth and fruit of our first lesson in the school of waiting. To many a one it will appear strange how difficult it is truly to wait upon God. The great stillness of soul before God that sinks into its own helplessness and waits for Him to reveal Himself; the deep humility that is afraid to let its own will or its own strength work aught except as God works to will and to do; the meekness that is content to be and to know nothing except as God gives His Light; the entire resignation of the will that only wants to be a vessel in which His holy will can move and mold; all these element of perfect patience are not found at once. But they will come in measure as the soul maintains its position, and ever again says, 'Truly, my soul waits upon God; from Him comes my salvation: He only is my rock and my salvation.'"
Abba, pull me from the mire, set my feet upon rock, and please, I pray, put a new song in my heart.
