CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 913

“For God Alone”

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Psalm 62:5-8)

The sign on the door read ‘Waiting Room’. The very mention of that term evokes impatience within many people. We hurry up to arrive at appointed times only to be forced to wait well past that time in the dreaded waiting room. Our lives are full of hurry up and wait scenarios. From doctors and auto services to restaurants and check-out lines we sign in, take a number, or get in line and wait. Some of us wait in silence, others not so much.

Does our innate impatience with waiting transfer to our relationship with God? It shouldn’t but it does for many of us. God’s Word is full of references of waiting for the Lord. Our reference Scripture verses are bursting with the fruit of God’s Word to be applied to our lives concerning waiting upon the Lord.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. v5: Whatever your need is – a job, a spouse, healing, deliverance – whatever your need is, you are to wait for God alone. Our tendency is to seek to ‘help God out’ during the silent waiting period and seek help through other means and avenues besides God. The popular maxim that ‘God helps those who help themselves’ is not found in the Bible and while containing some truth in that we are not to be sluggards this phrase is often used to disguise the true motive of our impatience and distrust of God.

Note also that we are to ‘wait in silence’. All too often Christians are found waiting and grumbling about it. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may…shine as lights in the world… (Philippians 2:14-15) We destroy our testimony of faith and peace that comes from trusting in God by our complaining. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3) We are able to wait in silence because our hope is solidly in God alone.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.. v6, v7: We are to place our trust and hope in God alone. Only Jesus Christ is a solid, unchangeable, immovable rock upon which to stand. Our relationship with Jesus gives us stability in the midst of unstable and uncertain times. Salvation and eternal life are found only in Jesus. Only in Jesus do we find refuge and strength to weather and wait out the storms of life we find ourselves in.

Trust in him at all times…v8: In good times as well as difficult and trying times, we are to trust in the Lord. In times where we feel His presence and guidance and in times when He is silent and seems distant, we are to trust in Him. We are to continue to pour out our hearts before Him in prayer trusting in His love and perfect will for us.

May the God of all peace guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus as you trust and hope in Him alone. May the light of God’s presence and love shine through you to encourage and give hope to others as you wait peacefully trusting God to take you through trying circumstances.