Waiting
At any given point in our lives, we are all waiting for something—something to start or something to end or something to change. It always amazes (and comforts!) me to realize how many verses are there are in the Bible about waiting, and especially about waiting on the Lord. This is a poem inspired by some of those verses. If you are interested in looking up any of the verses, please scroll down to the second half of this post where the poem is copied again with Bible references included.
While waiting, we’re weary.
While watching, we sigh.
We’re patient in theory,
But doubts multiply:
Is God really working?
Or has he forgot?
These questions are lurking
More often than not.
His mercies are new
Ev’ry morning, they say.
But can it be true
In this world of decay?
These thoughts are attempting
To stifle the soul.
They feel unrelenting.
They grasp for control.
They must be expelled
By a double-edged sword–
The truths we’ve beheld
In the Word of the Lord:
Be patient in trial;
Be constant in prayer.
Though crushed and reviled,
You need not despair.
The one who will wait
On the Lord shall renew
His strength, and his gait
Will be steady and true.
With prayer and thanksgiving
Present your requests.
In mercy, He’s willing;
In waiting, you’re blessed.
You need not grow tired
While doing what’s good.
The harvest desired
Will come when it should.
A thousand years passing
Are but as a day
For One everlasting
Who will not delay.
Though He seems to linger,
Still wait for his plan.
The work of His fingers
Is held in His hand.
His goodness pursues
Those whose souls wait for Him.
He acts for them too,
Though they’ve lived long in sin.
Christ died for our sins when
The time was just right,
So wait for him more than
Those watching for light.
While hearing God’s voice,
All our questions disband.
In hope, we rejoice,
For our time’s in His hands.
While waiting, we’re woven.
While watching, we praise
The God who has chosen
To write all our days.
While waiting, we’re weary.
While watching, we sigh.
We’re patient in theory,
But doubts multiply:
Is God really working?
Or has he forgot?
These questions are lurking
More often than not.
His mercies are new
Ev’ry morning, they say.
But can it be true
In this world of decay?
These thoughts are attempting
To stifle the soul.
They feel unrelenting.
They grasp for control.
They must be expelled
By a double-edged sword–
The truths we’ve beheld
In the Word of the Lord:
Be patient in trial;
Be constant in prayer. (Rom. 12:12)
Though crushed and reviled,
You need not despair. (2 Cor. 4:8–9)
The one who will wait
On the Lord shall renew
His strength, and his gait
Will be steady and true. (Is. 40:31)
With prayer and thanksgiving
Present your requests. (Phil. 4:6)
In mercy, He’s willing;
In waiting, you’re blessed. (Is. 30:18)
You need not grow tired
While doing what’s good.
The harvest desired
Will come when it should. (Gal. 6:9)
A thousand years passing
Are but as a day (Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8)
For One everlasting
Who will not delay. (Hab. 2:3)
Though He seems to linger,
Still wait for his plan. (Hab. 2:3)
The work of His fingers (Ps. 8:3)
Is held in His hand. (Is. 41:10)
His goodness pursues
Those whose souls wait for Him. (Lam. 3:25)
He acts for them too,
Though they’ve lived long in sin. (Is. 64:4–5)
Christ died for our sins when
The time was just right, (Rom. 5:6)
So wait for him more than
Those watching for light. (Ps. 130:5–6)
While hearing God’s voice, (John 10:27)
All our questions disband.
In hope, we rejoice, (Rom. 12:12)
For our time’s in His hands. (Ps. 31:15)
While waiting, we’re woven.
While watching, we praise (Is. 62:6)
The God who has chosen
To write all our days. (Ps. 139:15–16)
Image by Matthew Henry