Jul 1 Devotion: Waiting On God

1).  Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2).  For they soon shall be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  3).  Trust in the Lord and do good; so  shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  4).  Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  5).  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6).  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement as the noonday.  7).  Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.  8).  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in wise to do evil.  9).  For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

                                                   PSALM 37:1-9  

Waiting on God is an important spiritual discipline in our walk of faith. King David’s life both teaches about the value of following the Lord’s plan and warns of the danger in moving ahead of Him.

When David was a shepherd, the prophet Samuel anointed him as Israel’s next king. Yet he did not become the ruler for many years. Waiting for the Lord to place him on the throne was made more difficult because the current king, Saul, turned against David and repeatedly tried to take his life. Despite the opportunity to take matters into his own hands, David held back (See 1 Samuel 24:1-7). He waited on God and was blessed for his obedience.

Years later, David made a decision without consulting the Lord. He chose not to join his troops in battle, even though that was one of his duties as a ruler (See 2 Samuel 12:13). During the time he stayed home, he noticed Bathsheba and coveted her. He conceived a child with her and then tried to cover up his sin. Instead of following God’s plan and being blessed, he experienced divine chastisement and heartache.

As believers, we want to obey the Lord, but there may be situations when we move forward without waiting for His direction. We must always be sure to seek God’s plan before we act.

-IBC