Are You Willing to Wait?
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· 4 viewsThis is the first word of our vision for 2020. The word wait. In Habakkuk we get a picture of Habakkuk waiting to see how God will respond to his pleas. The question is whether we are willing to wait or do we rush without knowing what God's desire is for us.
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— 40 “Comfort; comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, that her compulsory labor is fulfilled, that her sin is paid for, that she has ⌊received⌋ from the hand of Yahweh double for all her sins.” 3 A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh! Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God! 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall become low, And the rough ground shall be like a plain, and the rugged ground like a valley-plain. 5 And the glory of Yahweh shall be revealed, and all ⌊humankind⌋ together shall see it, for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.” 6 A voice is saying, “Call!” And he said, “What shall I call?” All ⌊humankind⌋ are grass, and all his loyalty is like the flowers of the field. 7 Grass withers; the flower withers when the breath of Yahweh blows on it. Surely the people are grass. 8 Grass withers; the flower withers, but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 ⌊Get yourself⌋ up to a high mountain, Zion, bringer of good news! Lift up your voice with strength, Jerusalem, bringer of good news! Lift it up; you must not fear! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 Look! The Lord Yahweh comes with ⌊strength⌋, and his arm rules for him. Look! His reward is with him, and his recompense ⌊in his presence⌋. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arm, and he will carry them in his bosom; he will lead those who nurse. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, comprehended the dust of the earth in a third of a measure and weighed out the mountains in the scales, and the hills in a balance? 13 Who has measured up the spirit of Yahweh or informed him as ⌊his counselor⌋? 14 With whom has he consulted, that he enlightened him and taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and made the way of understanding known to him? 15 Look! The nations are like a drop from a bucket, and they are counted like dust of the balances! Look! He weighs the islands like a thin covering. 16 And Lebanon is not enough to light a fire, and its animals not enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are like nothing before him; they are counted by him as nothing and emptiness. 18 And to whom will you liken God? And to what likeness will you compare him? 19 A craftsman pours out the idol, and a ⌊goldsmith⌋ overlays it with gold, and he smelts chains of silver. 20 The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the ⌊beginning⌋? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? 22 He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil and spreads them out like a tent to live in, 23 the one who brings princes to nothing; he makes rulers of the earth like nothing. 24 Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble. 25 “And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?” says the holy one. 26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
This morning we will be looking at the first word Wait that was revealed as a part of the vision for 2020. One of the hardest things for people to do is to wait. When people are in lines at fast food restaurants you can see them getting a little antsy if it is taking longer than they expect because we are a people that don’t like to wait. We want our answers immediately. Yet there is a quiet beauty that can be found in the waiting.
This morning we will be looking at the first word Wait that was revealed as a part of the vision for 2020. One of the hardest things for people to do is to wait. When people are in lines at fast food restaurants you can see them getting a little antsy if it is taking longer than they expect because we are a people that don’t like to wait. We want our answers immediately. Yet there is a quiet beauty that can be found in the waiting.
Ask yourself the question. When it comes to waiting, are you willing to wait? Not just are you willing to wait but are you willing to wait for what God has for you.
Listen to — 7 Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil, being patient concerning it until it receives the early and late rains. 8 You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Wait Defined:
1 stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or occurrence.
2 “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her,
that her compulsory labor is fulfilled, that her sin is paid for,
that she has ⌊received⌋ from the hand of Yahweh double for all her sins.”
3 A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh!
Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God!
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill shall become low, And the rough ground shall be like a plain,
And the rough ground shall be like a plain,
and the rugged ground like a valley-plain.
5 And the glory of Yahweh shall be revealed,
and all ⌊humankind⌋ together shall see it,
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”
6 A voice is saying, “Call!”
And he said, “What shall I call?”
All ⌊humankind⌋ are grass,
and all his loyalty is like the flowers of the field.
7 Grass withers; the flower withers
when the breath of Yahweh blows on it.
Surely the people are grass.
8 Grass withers; the flower withers,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9 ⌊Get yourself⌋ up to a high mountain, Zion, bringer of good news!
Lift up your voice with strength, Jerusalem, bringer of good news!
Lift it up; you must not fear!
Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 Look! The Lord Yahweh comes with ⌊strength⌋,
and his arm rules for him.
Look! His reward is with him,
and his recompense ⌊in his presence⌋.
11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arm,
and he will carry them in his bosom;
he will lead those who nurse.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
comprehended the dust of the earth in a third of a measure
and weighed out the mountains in the scales, and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has measured up the spirit of Yahweh
or informed him as ⌊his counselor⌋?
14 With whom has he consulted, that he enlightened im and taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and made the way of understanding known to him? 15 Look! The nations are like a drop from a bucket, and they are counted like dust of the balances! Look! He weighs the islands like a thin covering. 16 And Lebanon is not enough to light a fire, and its animals not enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are like nothing before him; they are counted by him as nothing and emptiness. 18 And to whom will you liken God? And to what likeness will you compare him? 19 A craftsman pours out the idol, and a ⌊goldsmith⌋ overlays it with gold, and he smelts chains of silver. 20 The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the ⌊beginning⌋? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? 22 He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil and spreads them out like a tent to live in, 23 the one who brings princes to nothing; he makes rulers of the earth like nothing. 24 Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble. 25 “And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?” says the holy one. 26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
and taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and made the way of understanding known to him?
15 Look! The nations are like a drop from a bucket, and they are counted like dust of the balances!
and they are counted like dust of the balances!
Look! He weighs the islands like a thin covering. 16 And Lebanon is not enough to light a fire,
16 And Lebanon is not enough to light a fire,
and its animals not enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are like nothing before him; they are counted by him as nothing and emptiness. 18 And to whom will you liken God? And to what likeness will you compare him? 19 A craftsman pours out the idol, and a ⌊goldsmith⌋ overlays it with gold, and he smelts chains of silver. 20 The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the ⌊beginning⌋? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? 22 He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil and spreads them out like a tent to live in, 23 the one who brings princes to nothing; he makes rulers of the earth like nothing. 24 Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble. 25 “And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?” says the holy one. 26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
▶ be delayed or deferred.
17 All the nations are like nothing before him; they are counted by him as nothing and emptiness. 18 And to whom will you liken God? And to what likeness will you compare him? 19 A craftsman pours out the idol, and a ⌊goldsmith⌋ overlays it with gold, and he smelts chains of silver. 20 The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over. 21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the ⌊beginning⌋? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? 22 He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil and spreads them out like a tent to live in, 23 the one who brings princes to nothing; he makes rulers of the earth like nothing. 24 Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble. 25 “And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?” says the holy one. 26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
they are counted by him as nothing and emptiness.
18 And to whom will you liken God?
And to what likeness will you compare him?
19 A craftsman pours out the idol,
and a ⌊goldsmith⌋ overlays it with gold,
and he smelts chains of silver.
20 The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot;
he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over.
21 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the ⌊beginning⌋? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? 22 He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil and spreads them out like a tent to live in, 23 the one who brings princes to nothing; he makes rulers of the earth like nothing. 24 Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble. 25 “And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?” says the holy one. 26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth?
22 He is the one who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
the one who stretches out the heavens like a veil
and spreads them out like a tent to live in,
23 the one who brings princes to nothing;
he makes rulers of the earth like nothing.
24 Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown;
indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth
when he blows on them and they wither,
and the tempest carries them like stubble.
25 “And to whom you will compare me, and am I equal?” says the holy one. 26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these? The one who brings out their host by number. He calls all them by name. Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
26 Lift your eyes up on high, and see! Who created these?
The one who brings out their host by number.
He calls all them by name.
Because he is great of power and mighty of power, not one is missing. 27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
and mighty of power, not one is missing.
27 ⌊Why⌋ do you say, Jacob, and you speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my judgment is passed over by my God?” 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
and you speak, Israel,
“My way is hidden from Yahweh,
and my judgment is passed over by my God?”
28 Have you not known,
or have you not heard?
Yahweh is the God of eternity,
the creator of the ends of the earth!
He is not faint, and he does not grow weary!
There is no searching his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weary,
and he increases power for ⌊the powerless⌋.
30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
and the young will stumble, exhausted.
31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
They shall go up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not grow weary;
they shall walk and not be faint.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Focus:
Focus:
Wait!
++ -- I will stand at my post, and station myself on the rampart. And I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what He will answer concerning my complaint.
--
Point 1: In waiting you can find comfort!
++ -- Comfort; comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, that her compulsory labor is fulfilled, that her sin is paid for, that she has ⌊received⌋ from the hand of Yahweh double for all her sins.”
--
--
Point 2: In waiting there can be restoration!
++ -- 3 A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh! Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God! 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall become low, And the rough ground shall be like a plain, and the rugged ground like a valley-plain. 5 And the glory of Yahweh shall be revealed, and all ⌊humankind⌋ together shall see it, for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”
--
--
Point 3: In waiting there will be a response!
++ -- 28 Have you not known, or have you not heard? Yahweh is the God of eternity, the creator of the ends of the earth! He is not faint, and he does not grow weary! There is no searching his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weary, and he increases power for ⌊the powerless. 30 Even young people will be faint and grow weary, and the young will stumble, exhausted. 31 But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.
--
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++Life Application: Waiting requires patience! Are You Willing to Wait?