Waiting Upon The Lord

Waiting upon the Lord is expecting His promised strength to help us rise above life's challenges.


Waiting on God

“But they that wait upon 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

About the time when most people in their mid-fifties were thinking ahead to retirement, my parents adopted two teenage boys from Vietnam. Scarred by the events in their early lives, my brothers came to us with many emotional wounds, and life around home was not always smooth as they tried to adjust to a completely new way of life. A conservative Christian home seemed confining, and at times they rebelled. While some parents would have become discouraged and perhaps wondered why they had ever taken such a drastic step at their age, Mom and Dad never wavered in their assurance that they were following God's leading.

In this situation, and in many others where problems were unresolved and prayers seemingly were unanswered, Dad's comment often was, “The last chapter isn't written yet.” Sometimes his words were tied to the verse in Isaiah 40:31, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Dad had faith that God was still at work.

A study of the word wait reveals that it has a connotation of patience, rather than just marking time. And I believe the strength that is promised goes beyond physical endurance, but includes emotional and spiritual help as well.

Notice that the admonition is to wait “upon the Lord.” I believe that means we are to patiently await the fulfillment of His promises. Waiting upon the Lord is expecting His promised strength to help us rise above life's challenges, and keeping our eyes of faith fixed upon Him rather than circumstances.

Today, as a parent and grandparent, I find myself quoting Dad's statement quite often. There is an undercurrent of faith and hope woven through those simple words. God isn't done. He does hear my prayers. He is still working, though perhaps behind the scenes. The picture could be entirely different around the next bend.

May God help us all to wait upon Him, for as we do, the answer we need is sure to come.