WAITING ON THE LORD – BE PATIENT

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation.”
Luke 2:29-30

Patience is a virtue that many believers struggle with in today’s world.
We live in a time of fast food, microwaves and high-speed computers.
We drive through, download and move on to the next thing as quickly as we can.

On the other hand, we need to realize that sometimes God says, “Wait.”
As followers of the Lord, we must be willing to not only surrender to
the “will” of God, but we must also be willing to surrender to the “wait” of God.

We read in the scriptures that Simeon had been instructed by God to “wait”.
It was difficult for Simeon because he had no idea of how long he was to wait.
All he knew was that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ
“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.”
Luke 2:26

Simeon accepted the fact that the timing of his life and death were in God’s hands.
Once he saw Jesus, he knew his waiting was over and he said,
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace”
Luke 2:29

In a similar way, Anna, an 84-year-old widow,
was a faithful follower who never left the temple.
“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel,
of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband
seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”
Luke 2:36-37
She lived a life of worship, forever waiting on the Lord.

Simeon and Anna demonstrated remarkable patience.
He waited and she remained faithful.
Their days, months and even years, were in God’s hands.

Patient faithfulness is a virtue that needs to be demonstrated
in the lives of God’s followers today and every day.

Have you surrendered to the “wait” of God?
When do you want God to answer your prayers?
More than likely you would say, “Right now!”
While you are waiting, pray this prayer,
“Lord, teach me to wait on You.”