Are You Waiting On The Lord Or Is He Waiting On You?
There's a word in the Old Testament in the original Hebrew language that sounds like Qavah, and is translated 'wait', usually in the expression, 'to wait on the Lord.'
The way I often hear it used however seems far from its original meaning.
To Qavah in the Hebrew means to wait actively with anticipation, hopefully watching for God's action.
In the English however, it often takes on a frustratingly passive tone.
Like waiting for the traffic lights to change, waiting for your doctor's appointment, or waiting for a flight to land perhaps. In each case, there's nothing you can really do except, well ... wait. As the time stretches out a sense of impatience grows at your lack of control over the situation.
The Biblical Qavar kind of wait is almost the opposite.
- Its currency is trust and prayer, not resignation to time or chance.
- Its fruit is anticipation not frustration.
- Its result is the unexpected and the impossible, not the expected and the routine.
I reckon Qavar is invitational in nature.
In waiting on the Lord we are opening our hands to Him saying, "Thank you that I've been able to do this much, now you, Lord will move..."
It's more like leaving room than waiting.
Here's a formula that is probably too trite to be true:
- Do absolutely all you can.
- Pray about it.
- Trust and anticipate God acting. (If that's not possible repeat Step 1 and 2 until it is).
For some reason there are many who skip step one, as if step one is somehow unspiritual.
But while you're sitting back waiting on heaven, is heaven waiting on you?
- Perhaps you're praying for finances but have never opened your bank statements.
- Perhaps you're praying for health and fitness but have never looked at your diet or dragged yourself along to a quack yet.
- Perhaps you're praying for the restoration of a relationship with a family member but you can't remember the last time you picked up the phone for a chin wag...
I could go on but you get the point.
Some chalk it up to a false sense of humility: "Oh no, I don't want to take it into my own hands, I'll let the Lord move!"
Which is fine, I guess, but on the other hand, the Lord gave you a brain, hands and feet and a will of your own. These things are fine gifts and sadly not all have them, or at least not to the same degree that you do.
Have you heard of the story of the man who prayed about what to eat for breakfast and then waited on the Lord for so long his bread went mouldy and his milk turned sour? (actually I made that up.)
I did however, once have a pastor say to me that he had never applied for a pastoral role in his life, he always simply waited on the Lord and a church came offering him one (he said it rather proudly I might add at a time when I was looking for a job). Evidently resumes and job applications were beneath the heights of spirituality he had achieved.
Then again I've never been handed anything on a plate in my life. I've worked for every cent and any progress I ever made was from my own blood, sweat and tears. I was raised with a strong work ethic and a go get 'em attitude so the passive approach was never going to work for me.
Maybe I'm projecting then. I don't know, you will have to decide for yourself.
Either way, are you passively waiting for God to move in an area of your life? Have you asked Him for something in prayer but not made any effort towards the goal yourself? Is there something you can do?
Psalm 37:34 says: "Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land..."
It doesn't mean to sit back and eat pizza and slug some cans back while God gets to work.
It means to treat each moment like God is watching, in anticipation of Him acting alongside you.
It means working as hard as you possibly can, so God can do what you can't.
It means acting as if God won't but secretly knowing that He will.
I'd probably go as far as to say that living your life like this IS proof that God is acting in you.
Because it's not all about the Lord helping those who help themselves, as they say.
Qavar is not a means to an end, for in the waiting you can enjoy the sense of expectant desire and anticipation that comes with it, a sense of God's presence.
Like the quiet sense of expectation I get when fishing. You rig up a paternoster, slice up some fresh squid, thread it only your hook, and cast into the surf and wait. You know that at any moment you might feel that exhilarating tug or thump on your line. You are waiting yes, but you're in the game, the tides are right, the time of day is good, and you know it's only a matter of time.
Ahhhh ... that sweet tingly anticipation.
What are you waiting on (NAY!) LEAVING ROOM FOR (!) the Lord to move in your life?
"I remain 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." Psalm 27:13-14
"...They that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
