RESTING and WAITING on GOD ALONE
June 11
Bible Reading: Psalms Chapters 32-37
RESTING and WAITING on GOD ALONE
"Rest in the Lord, and wait
patiently for Him; do not fret because
of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to
pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do
not fret--it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those
who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to
inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
for the future of that man is peace."
(Psalms 37:7-9, 34,
37)
Despite the
unfairness of life, King David prays that he will not retaliate against the
evil people but rest in the Lord and wait patiently on God – for God will bring
justice in the earth in due time (vv. 7, 9). As we wait patiently on God, we
should also stop being angry at our current situation for our anger tends to be
vindictive and punitive. On the other hand, God’s anger is untainted by self-interest
and tempered with mercy. God’s wrath can even be His love that brings us to
repentance and faith in Him (Romans 12:19, 21).
How do we rest in the Lord? Listed below are six areas where we can rest
upon:
- Rest in the will of God, for whatever he wills for us is for our highest good (Rom. 12:1-2)
- Rest in the love of God, and meditate on the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross (John 3:16).
- Rest in the mercy of God, for it is by His mercies that we are not consumed (Lam 3:22; Psalms 37:26)
- Rest in the word of God, for His word will nourish us and guide us in the path of life (Psalms 23:2; Psalms 119:105)
- Rest in our relationship with God, for He is our heavenly Father after we receive Him into our lives (John 1:14; Romans 8:14-17)
- Rest in the Lord Himself as he guides us continually through the Holy Spirit who indwells us (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8, 13)
How do we wait upon the Lord? Consider the three ways listed below:
- By pouring our heart to God in prayer like Hannah (see Psalms 62:1-2, 5-6,
8)
- By saturating ourselves in the Holy
Scriptures (Psalms
130:5) and waiting for His direction
like Simeon (Luke 2:25-32)
- By keeping serving God faithfully like Anna the prophetess (Luke
2:36-38)
Every day we have a choice how to live every moment. We can live God’s way and enjoy His approval or we can live in the worldly way and end up in destroying ourselves. When we live God’s way – by resting and waiting on God alone – we can have peace with God and be in harmony with our surroundings (Psalms 37:37). We will then enjoy God’s favor and we live to please Him alone on this earth!
