Learning to Wait

Prayer

Our faithful Father and loving shepherd,

We have been trained to silence so our pain is bottled up inside.

But you call us to speak. We are fearful of our own hearts – that if the truth is known we would be rejected.

But you already know us inside and out, and you tell us to trust in you and pour out our hearts to you.

You are our refuge, even when we are at our lowest, our most sinful, our weakest. In fact, that is when you delight to show yourself strong.

Teach us, father, to wait. Train us to patience; and while we are waiting, open our lips so that we might more and more pour our hearts out to you.

For you are our refuge and our strength; you are our sure help in troubled days; our defense against the continuous assaults.

Bring light to our darkness. Give wisdom in the middle of our foolishness; bring healing to our brokenness; and forgive our sins.

Wash us clean by the blood of the lamb.

Bless our community and give our leaders wisdom and prudence. Teach us discernment. Give us compassion and mercy. Protect those who respond to crises in our community; give wisdom to those who make quick decisions and protect life.

Tear down white supremacy and racism. May your church be a congregation of all true believers in the glorious diversity with which you created them. And may we cast off our sin and pride and hatred, and learn to love one another, as you have loved us.

Give us peace in our bodies. We pray for healing for Bud, that the cancer might be taken away. We thank you that it hasn’t grown, but we pray for him that you might grant him life and health for many years to come.

Bless Hugo with wise doctors. We pray that the equipment would not have any glitches and that this stent might be placed safely. We pray that open heart surgery would not be necessary.

Provide for our needs. Give Roger health and peace.

And as the word is preached this morning, send your spirit to breathe life into dusty and dry bones. For we trust only in you.

Princes and armies and politicians will not save us. Money and power will not save us. Salvation comes from your hand alone.

Rise, help and redeem us, thy mercies we trust. Bless the reading and preaching of your word this morning and give us ears to hear.

(and together)

Psalm 19:14 KJV 1900

14 Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Amen

Scripture

Psalm 62 NKJV

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. 1 Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah 5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. 10 Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them. 11 God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. 12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work.

Sermon

After God finished all of his creation, he rested. He ceased from his creative activity, looked at it and said, “Behold. It is very good.”

But woven into all of his creative activity is time. He didn’t create the world for instant gratification. He created men and women to learn to wait. Waiting involves faith, which involves trust. When we believe God, we wait for him - and so it is in the nature of the creature to wait. Seasons change. Day turns into night. The morning breaks. Seeds grow. And we wait.

It is true that every tree in Eden brought forth fruit. But God also charged Adam with tilling the ground. Plant the seed. Water the seed. Wait.

The biggest thing that man lacked was a suitable companion. SHE was the pinnacle of creation, the final touch. But first, Adam needed to learn about creation. Then he needed to undergo the first surgery.

Genesis 2:21–22 NKJV

21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

Adam needed to wait.

They needed to wait for the tree of life, as well, promised to them for their obedience after a period of testing. Waiting.

Will they wait for God’s time? or will they take?

And you know what happened then. I spoke about it next week. Ugliness is the result of taking. Beauty takes patience. But now we are fallen, and hate has become the norm.

So now impatience is woven into the fabric of our thoughts. One of the hardest things to do, especially in times of pain, fear, anxiety, depression, illness - is to wait for God’s time.

How many times in the Psalms do we read, “Lord, how long?”

Even the saints in heaven, viewing the trials of the church on earth, cry out to the Lord.

Revelation 6:10–11 NKJV

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

If this is true in the hearts of the glorified saints, free of sin - how much more is it true here on this earth, where we still struggle with the flesh?

How long, O Lord?

When enemies strike - how long?

When pain and fear touch the heart - how long?

When safety is taken away and life and security are threatened - how long?

When I am on the airplane, my only thought is how can I get this thing to land faster?

But when I hurt, my back spasms, my legs cramp - that desire is even more intense.

When you are hungry and tired and scared - how long?

And this is where the devil takes advantage of our impatience and turns our hearts and our trust away from God.

The saints in heaven cry out to God, but their hearts are steadfast don’t turn from the right or to the left.

We have not yet been trained to that sort of patience. So our hearts turn - generally to two things: money and power.

If only I had a little more money. If only I had a little more power. Then I could provide healing, security, comfort, soothing, peace - I could protect myself. I could rid the world of evildoers. I could get justice for myself. I could be safe.

How much is needed? Just a little more.

And the soul never learns to rest and be at peace, because it always needs just a little more.

That is what this Psalm is about. It is given to us for our comfort. To teach us to what it means to rest quietly and be at peace.

About Jesus

The first point that I would like to make is that this is a Psalm of David. He is speaking as a prophet and putting these words into the mouth of his greater Son - the heir to the throne. Jesus Christ.

The only way that we learn to rest is to learn from Jesus - being conformed to his image and being filled with his spirit by faith. The more we know of Jesus, the more we are transformed to his image.

So - this is looking into the character of Jesus and how he behaved while surrounded by fierce foes.

We, as his sons, will also be surrounded by fierce foes, and are exhorted to learn to rest as he learned to rest. Tribulation gives birth to patience.

Faith alone

The second thing I would like to point out is a repeating word - “af”. It means “Only” or “Alone”. If you think of the five solas - Christ alone, faith alone, scripture alone, grace alone, God’s glory alone -

That would be this word. Sola is Latin. Af is Hebrew.

You see it in verse one, but it is translated “truly” - the idea is this. He is proclaiming that he trusts in God for salvation alone. There is nothing else that will save him.

And notice how Jesus was on the earth. He did not come with armies, swords or wealth. He did not use divine power to smite his enemies. He took the lowest place and committed his way to God alone.

1 Peter 2:23 NKJV

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

Jesus went to the cross, trusting in God alone. He knew that he would die on that cross, and he also knew that he would rise from the dead. Only God can raise the dead. Read the gospels - how many times did he use his almighty power to smite his enemies? How many times did he put his trust in how much money was in the bag? In fact, he told his disciples “how is it that you do not yet understand?”

Only God can bring beauty from ashes. We plant the seeds, but only God can bring the harvest. We speak the truth, expose the deeds of darkness as we can, but only God brings salvation.

The kingdom of God only comes from God. He alone is our salvation. And so we plant, we speak, we work, we weed and fertilize, we save for the future - but we wait patiently. Our trust is reserved for God alone.

Blight destroys the crops. Evil men prevail in court. Healthy bodies fall apart. Marriages fail. And we work to bring health and justice and love into the world - but our trust is in God alone.

Unless he builds the house, our labor is in vain.

The wicked have one goal

The other “alone” is used for the wicked in verse 5 - he conspires together for one purpose alone - to throw Christ down from his throne.

He reviles, he murders, he attacks - he uses his words to speak lies. He blesses with his tongue, but inwardly curses - for his heart is set on only one purpose. “We will not have this man reign over us!”

We will not bend the knee. We will not submit. We will not hear.

And they lashed out at Jesus, they will also lash out at his people. They will say all sorts of things, and revile you in all sorts of ways. They will slander and abuse as with as much power as they have.

When you are afraid

So what do you do when your dignity, safety, reputation are shattered?

1 Peter 4:14–15 NKJV

14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.

When you are reproached, fearful, hungry, in pain - the first thing you want to do is to turn towards that which you think will bring relief. Germany in the 1930s turned to Hitler; Russia in the 1910s turned to the Bolsheviks. It always ends the same way.

And the only answer is in the repeating phrase in our Psalm:

Psalm 62:5–6 NKJV

5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.

Notice in verse 2, it reads slightly differently - “I shall not be greatly moved”.

As he proceeds in prayer and experience, he rests even more firmly - I will not be moved AT ALL!

Why? Because God alone (af) is my rock, my salvation, and my defense.

In the eastern part of Transylvania there is a castle that is almost impregnable. From that Castle, Count Vlad the Impaler held off the Turks and prevented the invasion of Eastern Europe. Now it is in ruins.

The ancient city of Constantinople was considered undefeatable until the Turks found the way it - due to a spy who opened the right door. Now it has a Turkish name - Istanbul.

France spent millions on the Maginot line to prevent the Germans from an invasion. and then airplanes were invented and the Germans flew right over.

Every fortress of men is eventually overrun and over thrown. Why?

He explains in verse 11 - power belongs to God. All of it. He lends it to whom he will and holds them accountable for how they use it. And he takes it away when He chooses. But he will not give his glory to another.

Men are vapor

in comparison, men are vapor (see verse 9).

The Hebrew is “Children of Adam” and “Children of men”. He could mean high degree or low degree. Or he could simply mean all of mankind.

If you took all of mankind and weighed them on the scales, they would go up. Lighter than air. There is no substance to measure them with. The devises and the schemes of men are as frail and fickle as men are. There will always be a new invention, a bigger power, a more treacherous spy, more knowledge, blights and illnesses, and sudden deaths.

But trusting and waiting for the Lord’s time is so, so difficult. What if he doesn’t come through? What if he forgets us? What if he no longer loves us? And so we want to hurry things along. Abraham takes Hagar. Saul forces himself to offer the sacrifice. Jehoshaphat makes a treaty with Ahab. Ahaz makes a treaty with Assyria. What if God doesn’t come through?

When you get impatient and want to hurry things along, what power will you use to do it? Eventually your frustration and your powerlessness will turn to oppression and robbery.

Even if you happen to get riches, don’t set your heart on them, but rather use them for good - like all other gifts - to serve each other in love.

But reserve your trust for God alone. He is the one who gives wealth. He is the one with power. He is the only wise, only God.

And do you know what this means?

It means we learn to wait. Right now we are exiles in Babylon. So we serve Babylon. Do good where we can. Plant our crops. speak out for justice, vote the best we can, do the best we can to serve God and our neighbor...

But reserve our trust for God alone. He alone is our fortress. Our defense. Our salvation. Our rock.

When we take our trust and place it in anything else, to that extent we become less and less like Jesus.

How can you tell when your trust is in something other than God?

You can tell by the fruits. When our trust is in riches and the strength of men, we become frightened, restless, anxious, churned up, discontented.

But don’t fear, because God hasn’t abandoned you. Look at your heart. What are you trusting in that is causing you to be fearful?

Are you trusting that men will do the right thing?

Are you trusting that the money won’t run out?

Are you trusting that the fortress will hold?

Are you trusting that the bad guy won’t be that bad? That your gun won’t jam; that your health will last?

Then what will you do when men don’t do the right thing? When the money runs out? The gun jams? When the health fails? When there is a breach? When the enemy invades?

Once there was a man who ate everything right. He jogged every day. He took care of his health in every way. He had a bit of contempt for those who didn’t take care of themselves.

And then, when he turned 75, he got heart disease. And that made him angry with God.

“I did everything right, and my heart failed. It isn’t fair.”

He placed his trust in his strength and forgot that God alone is our rock. If your hope is in your strength, your goodness, your cunning - your heart is restless and full of cares and anxiety. But if your hope is in God alone and his promises to you, those can never fail, for God cannot lie.

And then, even if you are falling apart in your own Gethsemane, you can still follow Jesus and learn to say, “Not my will, but thine be done”.

And this is the key to rest in the soul. Jesus knew the cross lay ahead. But faith drove his mind further - past the grave and to the resurrection.

If he had placed his trust in men, he would have been an angry, miserable, wretched excuse for a man, for men did nothing but betray him over and over again.

John 2:23–24 NKJV

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

Jesus knew his mission. He knew who God is. He knew what the battle was.

He knew that this battle would involve falling into the earth and dying, like a seed.

John 12:24–26 NKJV

24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

But he also knew that God raises the dead and keeps his promises and so the night will always give way to the dawn; weeping will turn to joy; dancing will once again enliven the joints.

You plant the seed. and you wait.

How do you know that there will be a crop?

How do you know that you will come through this?

How do you know that God will be your rock and defense?

How do you know that judgment is coming and that all of God’s enemies will be judged?

How do you know that he will indeed heal all of your diseases and put all of your enemies to flight?

Because of Easter. If there was no resurrection, the crucifixion was just another one of a million - just another executed criminal. Justly, or unjustly, what did it matter? He was still dead and everything he said and did was pointless.

But God is the God of covenant loyalty. He does exactly what he says he will do - which is what is meant by the word translated “mercy” (verse 12).

He will render to each one according to his work. If we are in Christ by faith, following his footsteps, as halting and stumbling as we may - then his works are ours and our sins are already rendered.

But for the wicked who continually persecute and revile God’s people, who refuse to bend the knee, - judgment is coming.

When?

Until the last one of God’s people is called in to the fold; until the last sheep is found; Until the last one of God’s special treasures are rescued and gathered into the barn

And that means patience. Following Jesus means to wait. To do what Adam and Eve didn’t do. It means to wait, for God’s time isn’t our time.

One verse goes around frequently whenever someone has trouble:

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

What most people forget is that this was written before the exile. The rest of it is this: -

Jeremiah 29:10–14 NKJV

10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

70 years. Most of you will be dead. But there IS a resurrection. So until then, build houses. Marry wives and raise children. Weep with those that weep. Dance and sing when it is time to dance and sing.

But now, you wait. This world is often a vale of tears.

And so we wait.

This world is full of betrayal and pain and illness.

And so we wait.

Because unless the grain falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.

Unless Adam has the surgery, he remains alone.

Unless you go into exile, you will die in the land and remain alone.

So what do we do?

Psalm 62:8 NKJV

8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Yes, we plant. We speak words of kindness and love. We uplift each other.

We are not called to make sure that the world is following God’s law - the only way to do that is by oppression and riches.

Instead, we trust in God and we wait - which means we serve and rest.

We plant the seeds. We treat each other with dignity. We speak out for the voiceless. We live in Babylon as good citizens.

But we trust only in the Lord. He alone is our refuge.

And we pour out our hearts to him, just as Jesus did. And if we suffer with him, we reign with him, as the scripture says,

2 Timothy 2:11–13 NKJV

11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Paul wrote that from a Roman prison, about to be executed. he found the key to patience and peace.

Easter. God raises the dead.

We place our foot there, and only there - then we can endure this vale of tears, no matter what the wicked my throw at us.