Isaiah 8:17 - Homiletics

Waiting for God.

"Waiting for God" is submitting ourselves to his good pleasure in respect of time, being content that he should settle the question, "How long?" and looking still to him from first to last, however extended the term during which our "waiting" has to continue. It is important that we wait—

I. PATIENTLY . "I waited patiently for the Lord," says holy David, "and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling" ( Psalms 40:1 ). A thousand years are with God as one day, and one day as a thousand years—"our age is even as nothing in respect of him" ( Psalms 39:5 ). It is, no doubt, hard for man to be patient, not to weary in well-doing, not to fret at what seems to him useless and unnecessary delay, not to desire to expedite matters and bring about the accomplishment of any end which seems to him good at once . But God's ways are not as our ways. God is never in a hurry. God tries his people by delay, and forms in them the temper of patience, and "lets it have its perfect work" ( James 1:4 ). God knows that we "have need of patience" ( Hebrews 10:36 ), and makes our life a discipline of patience, that so we may be the more conformed to his image.

II. CHEERFULLY . It is not enough to wait patiently, unless we also wait cheerfully. "Rejoice in the Lord always ," says the apostle; "and again I say, Rejoice" ( Philippians 4:4 ). We should do the will of God "from the heart." If he makes our cross to be one of waiting, we should feel that waiting is what we need, what is best for us; and we should be thankful that God deals with us so lovingly as to lay this burden upon us.

III. FAITHFULLY . All waiting is a trial of faith. God "hides his face from us." Will he ever cease to do so? Will he ever again cheer us with the light of his countenance? He does not grant our petitions. Will he ever grant them? Our ghostly enemy continually suggests these questions, endeavoring to undermine and destroy our faith and trust in God. It is our part, with Isaiah, to defeat him by continually "looking for God" and resting upon him. We must "have him always before our face;" hold fast by him, cling to him, look to him, and pray to him "without ceasing" for support and strength during the whole weary time of waiting, or our faith may fail, and our trial prove too much for us. We must, therefore, also wait—

IV. PRAYERFULLY ; i.e; with continued earnest supplication to God, both for the end that we desire and for his help while he keeps us waiting. His help alone will keep us patient, cheerful, and faithful during the time that our trial lasts, and render it the blessing that he intends it to be to us.