Submission

Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalms 27:13-14
I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.
Psalms 62:1-2
I remember when my Mom and Dad got our first microwave.  It was huge.  Leftovers became an easy preparation so they were eaten more often.  Clean out the refrigerator became a weekly occurrence.  Popcorn moved from stove top preparation to the microwave.  Popcorn was eaten far more often due to this ease.  All of that to say I’m of the microwave generation.  Waiting was not naturally taught by life.  The microwave helped the culture encourage the concept that I am the center of attention and I can have what I want when I want, now.  Food from the microwave is quicker but it is never what we would truly enjoy.  It is a quick substitute.
Reading through the Psalms of David a man familiar with waiting is seen.  As a very young man, the Prophet Samuel anointed him king over all of Israel.  David would have to wait dozens of years before he sat on the throne of Israel.  David would flee from Saul for years hiding in caves, living with Philistines, and faking insanity before rising to the throne.  David was a man very familiar with waiting.  He was called a man after the heart of God by God.
Waiting reminds us that we are not the master.  We are not the lord.  We are servants.  A servant does not do what he wants.  A servant does what he is told.  A servant waits for the master’s command.  The personal assistant to a royal or noble woman was called the lady-in-waiting.  David wrote, “I wait quietly before God.”  Waiting places us in the proper position before our God.  He is the Lord.  We are His servant.  We serve Him.  He does not serve us.
I find myself in my prayers giving God my grocery list of desires.  I can forget that it is His will that I exist for.  As a member of the Kingdom, for me to live is Christ.  My life is the Lord’s.  I surrendered my life to Him.  I am His slave (Romans 6:16)  Waiting for the answer the Lord strips me of my self-importance and desire to be served or waited on.  We must allow waiting to create in us an inner subordination.
  1. What requests of God are you waiting on?
  2. Are you seeking God’s command or his service?


--Zine Smith

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Power of Anxiety

Image
I am not a huge sport watching person.  I enjoy hockey from time to time.  College football and baseball if I can watch it in person.  But every two years there is an Olympics.  When the Olympics are on TV, my TV is on the Olympics.  This morning, speed skating is on.  These skaters have spent their entire lives preparing for this day.  I can only imagine the anxiety that these athletes are experiencing.  Those that are controlled by this anxiety perform poorly.  Some that I have watched have performed the worst race they have this year. One of the greatest tools that our enemy uses to bring defeat into our lives is anxiety. When we are anxious, it rules our lives. Anxiety causes you to break fellowship with God. - Jesus is the Prince of peace. He is peace; so, to be anxious and focused on anxious thoughts is to take your eyes off of Jesus and to look to self, circumstances, situations, and the lies of the enemy instead of listening...
Read more

Change Happens

Image
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 As God’s righteous children we know His promises are ours.  I think that is the beginning of the "Rejoice."  If I remember that I am God's child and His promises are true, then I will not be overcome by anxious fears.  I can remember that God holds all ...
Read more

God is Good, God is Great

Image
Jehovah (the relational God)—Gen. 2:4 Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord will provide)—Gen. 22:8–14 We who are in Christ, are so blessed. We have been lavished with grace. There are times when this is so obvious in our lives. There are other times when we need to rehearse in our minds and hearts the attributes of God that remind us of this marvelous grace. Today, while I was gardening, I began to dialogue with God. Gardening has so many spiritual lessons. At first it was about the weeds that we allow to remain in our garden become increasingly difficult to remove. Best to keep those weeds managed!!! The main lesson today dealt with the mosquitoes. I began to ask for help with the mosquitoes. I had sprayed with powerful repellent but these mosquitoes would not be denied. I guess I was hoping for this miraculous disappearance of those pesky insects. But all of a sudden the rain began. I continued to pull weeds in my flower bed and noticed the mosquitoes were no longer ...
Read more