Keystone Christian Reading Room

Waiting

Part Two

by William Vaught

April 1995

Most Christians aren't aware of what they're really waiting for. Because of this, their waiting is often overwrought and mixed with all kinds of activities to help fill up the time. Almost any- thing can divert their attention. It's actually most difficult to pin them down to stating what their expectation is. Some may say they await the "end of the world" when Jesus will come and jerk them out of "The Great Tribulation"; others, that they're waiting to take possession of their heavenly homestead, - and so on.

If we are truly waiting for, expecting, anticipating, a REVELATION OF CHRIST, in whatever form and manner HE should come to us, then it is our worshipping in the ways of God that prepares us to SEE Him and recognize Him when He comes to us! (A previous letter discussed His ways.)

Visions and revelations are imparted at the will and in the time chosen by the Revelator and for the TIME APPOINTED. We cannot force God to reveal Himself to us, to speak His secrets to our hearts, nor impart His power to us! No amount of fasting, breast-beating, blabbing and grabbing, or self-humiliation will affect His schedule in the least. BUT - we are able to prepare ourselves to receive Him by a life of continuous worship.

Just as Simeon was devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel and looking for it, he had eyes opened to see when the infant Jesus was brought to the temple. He was ready and blessed God, saying, "My eyes have seen your salvation" (NIV). Worshiping all through his waiting had sharpened his spiritual eyesight and he saw Jesus - NOT a written document, NOT a ritual, NOT a "new age" prophecy - BUT THE SALVATION OF ISRAEL - a PERSON. Had the vision been granted, he would have seen further - THE SALVATION AND RECONCILIATION TO GOD OF THE ENTIRE RACE OF MAN AND THE WORLD. We see only what we are prepared to see WHEN God's vision is given.

I don't think Simeon's waiting was passive, but active, as ours must be, under girded with expectancy of what is to be received. In one of His parables Jesus said, "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight. And be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns..." (Luke 12.35-36, NASB).

As we wait UPON, and FOR our LORD, we need to be in a conscious state of LOOKING FOR HIM, expecting to receive an added revelation of Jesus Christ day by day. It's great to be in a gathering where someone proclaims a new revelation they've received from Him, and then receive the quickening of it to our own being during the time of sharing, but we must each of us be brought to a place in Christ where we receive, day by day, expanding and ever-fresh revelation of Him.

If our eyes are not accustomed to seeing the hand of God in our daily waiting, how shall we be ready to recognize Him when He suddenly appears to us in visible body form? The more we learn to worship in all His ways, see Him in every hour of our day, the more will we be ready to see Him as He is at His revelation to us.

God has been at work in the negative side of our processing, too. We're learning through the exhausting process of elimination that there are many, many things we believe and do that are not profitable in preparation for His revealing. We have been stripped of much, and have had our eyes opened to the worthlessness and nauseating emptiness of man's religious ways. This, too, is a part of worship in waiting.

Can't we worship God for this wonderful work in our lives, too?

Every time He scrubs away more grimy sludge of the flesh, and nullifies another void form of religious hype for us, we are able to bow thankfully before Him and praise Him for what HE HAS TAKEN AWAY. This is worship in waiting, also - and is precious to Him as well as to us.

It's precious because such worship will eventually solidify into a stable persuasion that we really do desire HIS REALITY to the point that we'll not be satisfied with less. If our waiting period extends beyond our loan-days on earth it is of no consequence. The real issue is our learning to worship Him in ALL THINGS, through ALL TIME.

Concerning those whose earthly span didn't last until the fullness of the promises, the letter to the Hebrews says, "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance and they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on the earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11.13-16, NIV).

God sometimes tests the steadfastness of our faith in Him and devotion to Him, and tries us in our committal to the revelation His grace has granted us. He may arrange for some false teacher or prophet to present us a pseudo-gospel, an attractive package of heavenly hog-wash that is supposed to be the fulfillment of the revelation. Temptation such as that is easily rebuffed and brought to the light by the simple act of keeping our eye single to God and our heart filled with the Spirit of Christ.

Worship will keep us in readiness with our lamps trimmed and full of the oil of the Spirit, - expecting, looking for His appearing and rejoicing in the promise that when He appears we shall see Him as He is, and we shall be like Him. (See 1 John 3.2, any translation you like.)

The writer to the Hebrews pointed out that, "If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return." So what kept them from having their minds stuffed full of the "good things" they'd left behind? THEY KEPT THEIR MINDS ON GOD'S FAITHFULNESS, FILLED WITH THE PROMISE OF CHRIST, THE ANOINTED ONE, THE SAVIOUR.

How do we keep our mind centered on HIM? By continuous worship in our waiting!

In our daily activity we need to maintain an alertness, and keep that activity in harmony with ABIDING IN CHRIST - until reality bursts through. Blessed is that one who is watching in readiness when his LORD appears! "Abiding" is so vital to our processing!

If we learn the secret of abiding in Christ we won't be distressed because of the place or circumstances He has chosen. When we can worship God, FOR THIS PLACE, then we don't have to justify ourselves to people for being WHERE we are, physically or spiritually. Men don't always understand why we do or don't do, certain things - BUT, we are NOT abiding in man; - we abide in Christ and answer to HIM only - in worship and praise. Remember? "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men?" If I were still pleasing men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1.10, NIV).

Contrary to the opinion of many empire builders, abiding in Christ, waiting in worship, doesn't indicate feverish activity. Neither does it mean that we assume a passive, eremite state of being and renounce the reality of everyday living. It is simply LIVING IN HIM. Luke 10.38-42 records a good example of this. You recall that Mary sat at Jesus' feet to hear what He wanted to say. Martha was troubled with doing; Mary was abiding. For all Martha's bustling activity, she wasn't in tune with the LORD. People often get so involved in religious drudgery that at the end of a life-time of community and church service they still don't know how to worship Him. It must be terrible to come to the end of the earth-days the LORD has granted them and have no real understanding of His plan and purpose for the ages.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalms 37.7, NIV)

The words "be still" in the above scripture are translated "rest" in the KJV, and come from a Hebrew word meaning, to be silent, to be still or to wait with patience and submission. One margin reference says, "Be silent to the LORD" as a literal translation. I think this "being silent" to the LORD is a vital part of worship during our waiting. Time spent in constant petition and clamor begging the LORD to "hurry up", "do this", "do that", "come LORD, quickly", "why is the time so long?" - is not life-giving and probably indicates lack of trust in Him.

All the agitated fleshly striving with which men have clothed their worship must be put down; all the forced cacophony of ritual shouting and yelping must be silenced. The Psalmist says in Psalm 40.1, "I waited PATIENTLY for the LORD."

Self bows before Him. No more hectic activity - trying to "pray Him down", "shout Him up", pressing Him to do something - but rather a new aspect of worship - to be silent before Him; not daydreaming, not asleep - but silently patient in awaiting His good pleasure.

Surely, the joyful fulfillment of His will, His good pleasure, should be foremost in the heart of the worshipper. There is no need to try to force God to adjust His schedule and will to those of mankind. Some quote Matthew 11.12 in trying to justify their actions: "The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force". They feel they have a "right" to "storm heaven's gate" and "stir up the LORD" until they get an answer to their questions, or a "speed up" of God's agenda. Jesus rejects this foolishness: "Until John came, there were the law and the prophets; since then the good news (the Gospel) of the Kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone strives violently to go in - would force HIS OWN WAY, RATHER THAN GOD'S way into it." (Luke 16.16, Amplified Bible).

And there you have it. Most of Christendom tries to FORCE ITS OWN WAY on God's Kingdom - but the true worshipper prays the Son's prayer; "Thy will be done", ...and waits. The times and seasons, the whole plan of reconciliation of the universe to God is HIS GOOD PLEASURE, and everything occurs according to HIS TIME, not man's. The very nature of HIS KINGDOM, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, means that it is HIS WILL AND AUTHORITY that is exercised - to do as HE pleases, when HE pleases.

Nebuchadnezzar learned this the hard way, and he said, "...I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified Him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion
His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say to Him, 'What have you done?'
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven because everything He does is right and all His ways are just...". (Daniel 4.35,37, NIV).

No more commanding God! No more trying to force our way on Him! We must be fully yielded to HIS TIME - and to worship in all of our waiting.

The Spirit of God is doing a really in-depth processing on His people in this confusing day of upheaval and luke-warm submission to Him, but we must remember:

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118.24)

The necessary discipline is just walking in His way one day at a time, NOT continually striving with the LORD about tomorrow. That's quite contrary to one's human nature, especially if one is geared to the order and planning of his life with schedules and in the bonds they produce. "The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley", wrote the poet, Robert Burns - and it's one of the tritest truisms in western thought.

Yet, we find that as we rejoice in Him and are glad IN HIM each hour of the day, HE directs our steps, eliminates the herky-jerky frenetic pace of the world and removes the stress humankind has brazenly courted. But - everything necessary is accomplished! HE DOETH ALL THINGS WELL.

We are commanded to rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him, (Psalm 37.7). The Hebrew word translated here as "wait patiently" is unusual in its many nuances, but when used in its imperative tense, means "Abide!", "Rest Quietly!" Surely this command from Our LORD will stay the twisting, turning, fidgety activities that are offered as "tarry-til-He-comes" worship and is prevalent in much of churchdom! To "stay" or "stem" oneself from the impatience of the world and to devote the same measure of ardor to obedience to Him is truly WORSHIP IN OUR WAITING.

There is tremendous ministry in waiting, A MINISTRY TO THE LORD! This ministry is a part of our "abiding" - ABIDING IN HIM - as our life becomes a testimony to His praise and we hold fast to the revelation He has granted.

Many have declared the revelation given them, assured mankind that they received it from the LORD, and have then cast it aside. This means one of two things: either the seer wasn't worthy of the vision - despising and treating lightly the gift of grace; or else it didn't come from God, and so couldn't hold up and endure the passing of time. To be called to Him for a deeper walk in His ways, then to patiently and diligently devote one's life to waiting for the fulfillment of the vision is a blessed testimony to the faithfulness of God and our confidence in HIS faithfulness. Again, this is worship with our waiting.

Now, patience seldom comes at the beginning of our processing. But as time progresses, and "the time is long", we find that patience is put to the test and increases. Abiding as the seasons come and go means that SELF is being subdued under the authority of the Almighty while He works out His purpose in us. What, then, shall we do? How shall we deal with this time? If we aren't caught up in a lot of surface-deep, frenzied, religious activity, carrying out man's poor pious programs and other comedio-dramatic nonsense, what do we do until the time of His appointed appearing? The chief "occupation" will be WORSHIPPING GOD!

Unlike the early church's hermits and this day's recluse religiosi, we will be involved in doing whatever comes to hand to be done, but in a ministry of love - TO THE LORD. The Ministry to the LORD includes helping those about us when it is in the power of our hand to do so. Jesus said in one of His teachings, "...Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 24.40). Proverbs 19.17 says that he who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and remember, the poorest of the poor may be blessed with an abundance of the world's goods.

BUT! - doing doesn't take precedence over WORSHIP; rather, doing is a RESULT of worship and of our being in touch with God, living in harmony with His will. We worship Him; He imparts His life to us; - and then we freely give (for so we received) that life to others.

The messenger to whom He has given the gospel of the ages to preach to all who dwell in earth - every nation, every tongue, tribe and kindred - will declare "Fear God, and give glory to Him...and WORSHIP HIM. (Revelation 14.7). To declare the acceptable time of the LORD, to command that ALL "fear God" means that in our days of waiting we have come to a super-profound sense of awe which is due our Creator-Saviour-God. Directing worship to Him and HIM ONLY, means we now have learned a little of the true meaning of worship, the truth of worship, the joy of worship - in the SPIRIT OF WORSHIP. Yes, we are now IN WAITING, and there is a MESSAGE OF WORSHIP forming deep in God's people AND the message and the messenger are being processed so that they become ONE!

Praise God! His people are becoming a people WHO WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN REALITY - and it is out of this state of being that we urge others to submit to HIM and do likewise.

This message, this admonition, to WORSHIP isn't born out of the strenuous activity of DOING - but out of our WAITING...waiting patiently for the Salvation of the whole world to be revealed.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; My hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 62.5-6, NIV)

EPILOGUE

One of Samuel Beckett's most renowned plays is entitled "Waiting for Godot". Throughout the play the characters wait and wait for Godot to appear, but he never does. The play is Beckett's way of saying that all hope is futile, especially hope in God. In this he reflects the belief of much of mankind.

In contrast to such despair, the sacred writings offer manifold instances of confident expectation of our LORD'S presence - Aye! - the absolute certainty of His appearance. Psalm 27 is especially encouraging. When we in our mortality see no relief for our longing, perhaps even believing that God has lifted His Spirit away, the Holy Spirit through the Psalmist assures us that we will see our God. The whole Psalm is one of exhortation in waiting and is worth reading daily. The first verse and the last two appear here.
The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid?
I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Such waiting in confident expectation is WORSHIP.

KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS.