“And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).
Judith’s mom keeps telling Judith, “Elizabeth is young. Be patient. She will grow up and understand that she can’t put everything into her mouth or pull so hard she rips papers.” It seemed to Judith that she was going to have to wait forever. But one day Elizabeth would grow up. All Judith had to do was be patient.
The Children of Israel experienced God’s patience on many occasions. The forty years they spent in the wilderness and the time of the judges are key examples of God waiting for His people to turn from their sin and back to Him.
We have examples of God’s patience with individuals too. Peter said some astonishing things while Jesus was walking on the earth. Some of the things Peter said earned him a rebuke (“criticism”) from Jesus. God was patient with Peter, who became one of the greatest preachers of his time.
Isaiah 30:18 says God is waiting for Israel to return to Him. There is a promise that goes with His waiting: He promises grace and mercy. Notice, too, that the end of the verse says that those who wait on the Lord are blessed.
Waiting is a part of trusting that God will show His mercy and grace as we wait for Him.
My response:
» Am I waiting for God to do His work?
» Am I trusting that God will show me His grace and mercy?