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Isa_49:23
“They shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.” Looking back through the long period that has passed since I set my mark to these words—a period which forms the best and brightest, as well as the most trying and conflicting of all men’s lives—it is a joy to be able to say: “I have waited for Thee, and have not been ashamed. Under many perilous circumstances, in many most trying scenes, amid faintings within and fears without, and under sorrows that rend the heart, and troubles that crush it down, I have waited for Thee; and, lo, I stand this day as one not ashamed.”
Old scholars and divines were wont to write or paint up in their studies some favorite sentence from the sages of old, or some chosen text of Scripture. Those inclined to follow this custom could not do better than write up this one word, “Wait.” It is but a monosyllable; but it is fuller of meaning than any other word in the language, and it is applicable to all ages, and to all circumstances. At the first slight view, merely to “wait,” seems so simple a thing, as scarcely entitled to be called a grace; and yet larger promises are made to it than to any other grace, except to faith; and hardly, indeed, with that exception, for the grace of “waiting” is part of the grace of faith—is a form of faith—is, as some would describe it, an effect of faith; or, more strictly, one of its most fruitful manifestations.
Great and singular is the honor which God has set upon patient waiting for Him. Man, seeing not as God sees, sets higher value upon his fellows’ active works—the bright deeds of days or hours. God values these also; but He does not assign them the same pre-eminence as man does; He does not allow them any pre-eminence over that constant and long-enduring struggle with the risings of the natural mind, which is evinced in long and steady waiting under all discouragements for Him—in the assured conviction that He will come at last for deliverance and protection, although his chariot wheels are so long in coming.
It requires but little reflection to perceive that the Lord’s judgment in this matter is better than man’s. Active virtue brings present reward with it. Apart from the encouraging applause it obtains from some—more or fewer—it is attended with a pleasurable excitation of spirits, in the mere sense of action, as well as in the hopes and aspirations connected with it. There is nothing of this in mere patient waiting—day after day, through long years perhaps, and it may be in dust and ashes—until the Lord shall manifest towards us his love, his sympathy, his care. But to rest thus in the assured conviction that He will do so—to do Him the credit of believing that nothing less than this is his intention towards us—is a tribute rendered by faith to his honor, which He holds in most high esteem, and which he does most abundantly recompense; and this it needs. For it is a quality of the Christian character—much less one which God only can truly understand—which finds little encouragement but from Him, and which receives less than any other the outer sustainment of man’s admiration and approval.
It is also eminently conducive to the completion of the Christian character in its peculiar qualities, to nourish that habit of constant looking to the Lord, of constant dependence on Him, of vital faith in Him, of constant readiness for Him—which is far more precious in his sight than all the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, of which men could make oblation to Him. It is, therefore, no marvel, that this passive form is that chiefly, both for their soul’s good and for his own honor, in which God has in all ages seen fit to exercise his servants—from ancient Abraham down to the youngest son of Abraham’s faith. Let us take comfort and encouragement from these most true things.
Art thou plunged deep into troubles from which the hand of man will not or cannot save thee? or does thy soul lie in the deep waters, from which no strength of man can draw thee forth? “Wait on the Lord; He will save thee;” Note: Pro_20:22. and cry to Him, “Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day.” Note: Psa_25:5.
Is thy good evil spoken of among men; and thy name cast forth as evil among those who once delighted in thee; but who now seek to lay thine honor in the dust? Fear not. All will be right anon. Thy Vindicator lives, and will ere long bring thee forth in white robes, free from all the stains that men strove to cast upon thee. Remember that thy Lord suffered all this, and much more, for thee. Remember “The Lord is a God of judgment. Blessed are all they that wait for Him.” Note: Isa_30:18.
There are two bitter enemies of man’s true life—the world without him, and the world within him—the world in his heart. The conflict is sometimes terrible, and thou dost sometimes feel as one left without strength, and thy hands fail, and thy heart grows faint. What is this but to teach thee where thy true strength lies, and to cast thee off from every other? “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage; and He shall strengthen thy heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.” Note: Psa_27:14.
Sometimes the discouragement is deeper yet. We live under the hidings of our Master’s face. He seems to have covered himself with a thick cloud, which our sight cannot pierce, and which our prayers cannot pass through—they fall consciously short of their aim, and come back to the dull earth, flat and unprofitable. But be of good cheer. This cannot last forever, nor last long. Only “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;” Note: Psa_37:7. and be assured that “the Lord is good to them that wait for Him;” Note: Lam_3:25. and although it may be that now, for a little while, thou liest void of strength, and almost lifeless upon the ground, yet, amid this chilliness; still wait; though wounded, wait—holding fast the conviction which his promise gives. “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; they shall walk and not faint.” Note: Isa_40:31.
To have waited for the Lord, He allows to constitute a claim to his tender consideration for us. “Be gracious to us; We have waited for Thee.” Note: Isa_33:2. And no one ever yet could truly say, “I waited patiently for the Lord,” without being enabled rejoicingly to add—“and He heard me.” Note: Psa_40:1. And in that day of full fruition of all we have waited for, shall we not, out of the fulness of our replenished hearts, cry with exulting shouts to all that pass by—“Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, and will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Note: Isa_25:9.