Waiting on God
What is “waiting” on God?
In Ps.27 the Psalmist paints the picture of his refuge, where he finds light, strength and confidence in the Presence of the Lord. This is the place where he seeks to dwell, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to ask for divine Wisdom. It involves a focus of the heart and an expectation to be taught the ways of the Lord. In the last verse (v.14) he admonishes the reader to “WAIT” on the Lord with courage and the assurance that He will bring strength.
The human being consists of three parts, namely spirit, soul and body. When the Bible talks about “waiting” on God in reading and meditating on the Word, worship and praying much in tongues, it involves all three parts of my being.
Earthly issues and assignments from the devil will flood my mind and emotions, but I need to consciously detach myself from these “invasions” to rise up in my spirit to “connect” with the Holy Spirit, binding my spirit, soul and body to Him.
When we study the origin of the word “wait”, we discover the pictures that are painted by different Hebrew words to describe the action of “waiting” upon God.
1) Firstly in Ps.27 we find the word “qavah” (Strong’s 6960) which means: to bind together (perhaps by twisting), (figuratively) to expect: gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord”
Ps. 27:14
When we come to have fellowship with the Lord, our spirit connects with His Spirit and needs to get “intertwined” with Him, expectantly “looking” for Him, focusing on Him with our heart’s eyes, patiently waiting on Him to commune with us and to strengthen our hearts by His Presence.
2) Then also my soul (mind, will and emotions) need to be “bound” to Him and loosed from the commotions of the earthly spheres. I need to “quiet” (damam) my soul, releasing my doubts and fears, “upsets” and worries; come into His rest to wait on Him and bind my expectancy like a cord to Him (tiqvah), putting my hope in Him in trust and faith. It is in the place of silence that His voice thunders………!
Col 3:2 – “Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Ps. 62:5: “My soul (LIFE, VITALITY, MIND, DESIRE), wait (01826) thou only upon God; for my expectation (08615) is from Him.”
damam (Strong’s 01826) to be dumb; by implication, to be astonished, to stop; cease, forbear, hold peace, quiet self, rest, be silent, keep (put to) silence, be (stand) still, tarry, wait.
tiqvah (Strong’s 08615)– a cord (as an attachment figuratively, expectancy, expectation, hope, live, thing that I long for.
“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait (TO SEE, WATCHING, WAITING) upon the Lord, our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” – Ps.123: 1-2
Here it is interesting to note that my eyes are “waiting” on Him, which speaks of focus on Him and His promises and not allow negative pictures to come into my vision through a wandering mind.
3) My body shall also receive physical strength as I “wait” upon the Lord:
“But they that wait (“quava”) upon the Lord shall renew their strength (vigour, force, power) they shall mount up (ASCEND) with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
IS.40: 31
As I wait upon the Lord in reading the Word, worship and praying much in tongues, He binds Himself with cords to me and I bind myself with cords to Him – to adhere to Him in trust and faith until He pours our His grace upon me:
chakah (Strong’s 2442) to adhere to – binding, like a chord; hence, to await:–long, tarry, wait.
“AND THEREFORE WILL THE LORD wait (“chakah” – adhere to – like a chord), that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait (“chakah”) for Him.”
Is.30: 18
Every time I come to “wait” upon the Lord, spiritual substance is imparted into my spirit – even when I feel nothing physically. My act of obedience to set my whole being in focus on Him, binding myself to Him by a dedication of my spirit, soul and body will bring spiritual growth and secure my roots firmly in His Love and faithfulness.
In this process, while beholding His glory, the light of the Holy Spirit shines into every area of my being and I am being transformed from one degree of glory to the next as I submit myself to Truth. The more I abandon myself to the work of the Holy Spirit inside of me, the more my relationship with Him will grow in intimate revelation knowledge of Who He is, what He has accomplished for me on the cross and what He has in store for me.