Pastor’s Weekly Refuel
WAIT AND WAIT ON THE LORD
Isaiah 40:31 – But those who wait on 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. (NKJV)
The trip to the hospital was a difficult one for Michael. He had to visit his sick grandmother for the first time. Meanwhile, things in his life weren’t going too well. As he approached her room he did the best he could to muster a smile and a cheerful disposition, but he couldn’t fool Grandma Betsy. As he asked about her condition and how things were going in the hospital, she looked in his eyes and responded, “Don’t worry about me, baby. How you doin’? You don’t look too good. You having trouble on your job again? Have you been taking care of your family?” Michael didn’t say a word. “ Have you been going to church?,” Grandma Betsy asked. “Have you been reading your Bible and praying? You know that God loves you and whatever is going on, if you put your faith in him, everything is going to be okay.”
Michael was amazed. Here was his grandmother, suffering from an illness the doctors said was going to kill her in less than a year and she was ministering to him. Grandma Betsy had a firm understanding of the “Wait and Wait Theory.” You see Michael had a praying Grandmother. She had prayed for healing and she was waiting on the Lord to deliver. Isaiah 40:31 clearly states that “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.” Psalms 27:13-14 talks about the rewards of waiting on the Lord. Many scriptures in Psalms talk about waiting on the Lord because he is our hope and our strength.
But “wait” has more than one meaning. The meaning we most think about is “to stay in place in expectation of.” But wait also means “to be ready and available” and “to serve.” In the Bible, 2 Chronicles 17:19 is a classic example of how the Greek word for wait “sharath,” means “to serve” or “to minister.” That’s the meaning that Grandma Betsy understood and what we need to grasp today.. While we wait on the Lord to move in our situation, we need to wait on the Lord – we need to serve him. In the midst of our angst and uncertainty, even as doubt knocks boldly on the doors of our spirit; even as nothing goes according to our plans, we must serve him (Matthew 4:10). We must continue to do ministry; we must continue to encourage; we must continue to share the good news.
Waiting on the Lord while waiting on the Lord shows that we have faith (James 2:26). It is during these times that we are able to cast all our cares on him (Psalms 55:22) and stop stressing and worrying (Matthew 6:25). It is during the middle of our storms that our service and diligence to continue to do the will of God demonstrates that we understand His power. It shows that no matter how big the problem may seem to us, it is small in the hands of our God. So instead of worrying, we are serving. Instead of being distracted by all the mess swirling around us, we can remain focused on Jesus and the “good works” we were created to do (Ephesians 2:10) – even while we wait.
So let’s all learn a lesson from Grandma Betsy. Let’s agree that God hears our prayer; the answer will come in His time; and no matter what is facing us, we have work to do in the Kingdom. For our strength comes in our waiting and waiting on the Lord.
Your Pastor,
Marvin R. Wamble
Shiloh Community UMC
12695 Shiloh Church Road
Newburg, MD 20664
Don’t forget to tune into the “Shiloh Hour of Pray Power on PrayLive each Sunday night from 10-11 p.m. EST by calling 443-524-9880 or go to www.praylive.com
Also, First Lady Anita Wamble teaches a dynamic Bible Study on PrayLive each Sunday night from 9-10 p.m. EST
Join us at Shiloh Community UMC for Sunday morning Worship Service at 10:30 a.m.
