Trust in waiting...

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31

Cause me to hear Your devotion and compassion in the morning, for I have put my trust in you. Psalm 143:8

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3

After Daniel was left in the lions den overnight, the King rose in the morning and rushed to the den, asking "Daniel servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you?...No wound was found on him because he had trusted in his God." Daniel 6:20,23 I wish I could always say the same for myself. During the waiting is when it is the hardest to trust and be patient, yet that faith in trust is what will bring about the breakthrough and the deliverance. It is easy to grow weary while we wait, but this encourages me. Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, but don't just wait. Nurture and reinforce that wait with trust-THEN deliverance will come. If you are waiting in some den of helplessness, as Daniel waited in the lions den, spend that time as he did trusting God. Strength will come as I wait on the Lord and trust Him with all my heart. Daniel trusted God so much during his wait, that not even the threat of death make him turn away from God or stop trusting God. In fact, it reinforced His trust and dependence on God even more. I want that kind of perspective while I am waiting on God. There is beauty in the waiting and the longing. Trust and faith and strength are born out of waiting, if we choose to believe. God gave us free will, so we do not have to trust. It is our choice. When I do choose to trust, somehow things are smoother, less painful and the light at the end of the tunnel comes much quicker.

"Great is the Lord, he is holy and just;
By his power we trust in his love."


"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

"In the quiet in the stillness I know that you are God. In the secret of your presence I know there I am restored."
HALT-Hungry Angry Lonely Tired. When I am in this state, is when I need quiet restoration time with God the most. If I got into a car accident, an ambulance would come get me and hook me up to all these machines, get me wrapped up and warm, in a safe place, give my body all that it needs...etc. As I grew more aware of my surroundings and my circumstances I might start to struggle, fight, or flail around a little. The doctors and technicians would say to me, "Just be still, just be still, stay calm, just rest." In order for them to do their job, they would need me to do mine, "Be still." Isn't that how God treats us after we've been in an accident...emotionally, physically or spiritually. "Be still and know that I am God,"(Ps 46:10) He says to us. Our Mighty rock and our refuge (Ps.62:7). Be still.

"You'll go forth a little stronger, With a fresh supply of grace,
If each day you meet the Savior, In a secret, quiet place"-Adams.

But if we are so busy "doing" or struggling, how can we get restored? Hang on the vine, hook-up to THE source of life...God is the vine and we are the fruit. We must just hang there, be still for a while with Him alone, in order to have the measure of strength and grace we need to carry out His will for us each and every day. I savor spiritual sustenance, I need it, I crave it. "I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread" Job 23:12.
Let's face it, when I am not plugged into God, receiving my daily download from Him...what I am giving away to others will become counterfeit if I do not remain in HIM. Apart from Him nothing remains. In His presence is where I am healed, restored, renewed, made whole. Holiness-Whole-iness. He did not die for us to have rules, regulations, religion...He wants a relationship with us. Personal time with us. Pursue Him. Choose Him. For today I will not let my pursuit of other things derail my pursuit of Jesus.