Subscription Lists
God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
“I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the ones who seek him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:24-26
Jeremiah calls the Lord his portion. God is his inheritance. An inheritance is a gift or a legacy given to an heir. He further states he will wait for it.
He speaks here of the benefit of waiting on the Lord. When a believer waits for His guidance and direction, he or she learns of God and of His ways. They spend time in His Word and in prayer.
“. . . but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
Several years ago, I knew a lady who searched for a job. Just prior to this time, she had completed the work for her Masters’ degree and needed to find work.
I heard of an opening in another town. Her response was one that made me think. She answered me with, “I have turned my need of a job over to the Lord. I wait for His answer.”
Had I been in her place, needing to find work, I would not have been calm about it. Several years later, I found myself getting depressed about not getting any responses or even any call-backs on my applications.
Here, this middle-aged woman calmly faced this circumstance in her life, confident that the Lord would allow her to have the job He wanted for her. I learned a lot from this lady.
“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, He gave them this command, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.’” Acts 1:4 (NIV)
The risen Christ met with the disciples several times over the period between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven. He gave them specific instructions about ministering to those in the world. This was the most vital for them.
Jesus instructed them to wait for the gift His Father had for them. They were to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. There are several lessons to be learned here.
The main lesson is they needed to wait because, by doing so, they would be empowered by the Paraclete (Helper.) This was important to the disciples-then and now. The original disciples would face many difficulties as they spread the gospel through the known world. Present day believers face many forms of persecution that are humanly impossible to withstand by oneself.
As we sit in our homes and churches, we need to learn to wait for God to allow us to perform, in His name, our deeds for others.
Dear Lord God:
Please teach us to wait for You to empower us to do Your will. Let us learn what You have for us, as we wait. We will give You the praise. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN
Rate it:
Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "God's Words For US" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.