A Worthwhile Wait

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

WalterandDebbie

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2009
4,537
3,170
113
77
USA
firstthings1sttab.tripod.com
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Monday 12-13-21 Tevet 8, 5782 2nd. day of the weekly cycle, 83rd. Fall Day

A Worthwhile Wait
odb20211213.jpg


Read: Isaiah 30:15–19 | Bible in a Year: Hosea 12–14; Revelation 4
Download MP3
Subscribe to iTunes

The Lord longs to be gracious to you . . . . Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18


Stuck in a stressful job with long hours and an unreasonable boss, James wished he could quit. But he had a mortgage, a wife, and a young child to take care of. He was tempted to resign anyway, but his wife reminded him: “Let’s hang on and see what God will give us.”

Many months later, their prayers were answered. James found a new job that he enjoyed and gave him more time with the family. “Those months were long,” he told me, “but I’m glad I waited for God’s plan to unfold in His time.”

Waiting for God’s help in the midst of trouble is hard; it can be tempting to try to find our own solution first. The Israelites did just that: under threat from their enemies, they sought help from Egypt instead of turning to God (Isaiah 30:2).

But God told them that if they would repent and put their trust in Him, they would find strength and salvation (v. 15). In fact, He added, “the Lord longs to be gracious to you” (v. 18).

Waiting for God takes faith and patience. But when we see His answer at the end of it all, we’ll realize it was worth it: “Blessed are all who wait for him!” (v. 18). And what’s even more amazing, God is waiting for us to come to Him!

What prayer request has you waiting on God? How can you meditate on His faithfulness as you seek His answer?

Father, give me the patience to wait for Your answer. I know You’re a good and loving God whose timing and will are always perfect.

Learn more about waiting.

INSIGHT
Isaiah 30 contains themes of both judgment and restoration for God’s people and judgment for the nations who oppressed them. The chapter can be broken down into three parts. Verses 1–18 note a warning and dangers for Judah who created an alliance with Egypt without consulting God (vv. 1–2). In verses 6 and 7, we see the envoys from Judah traveling through a dangerous land to take their “riches” and “treasures” to Egypt, which the Egyptians required in payment for military help.

However, Isaiah warned that Egypt wouldn’t help as they claimed they would. The middle portion of the chapter, verses 19–26, provides a glimmer of hope, saying that the people of Zion in Jerusalem (v. 19) would one day be healed and blessed; their land, in particular, would be fruitful (vv. 23–25). However, the chapter ends on a solemn note, proclaiming judgment on Assyria (v. 31).

By Leslie Koh|December 13th, 2021

Our Daily Bread (odb.org)

https://odb.org/video

LOL, Walter and Debbie