Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
Man has always felt an urge to run before God says “Go”. In ancient Israel, God told Jeremiah concerning the false prophets, “I have not sent them, but they ran.”
Waiting on God is not natural to the proud and hasty spirit of man. But it has made the difference between salvation and damnation for every person who has ever lived. God does not want us to make up anything for ourselves to do. He wants us to wait on Him. The Israelite elders in the wilderness made up their own plan for survival, and that whole generation suffered God’s wrath. “They waited not for His counsel” and their carcasses were buried in the hot desert sands.
David sang about it:
“On thee do I wait all the day” (Ps. 25:5).
“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his [own] way . . . fret not thyself to do any evil. For evildoers shall be cut off, but they that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37:7-9).
It is instructive to note that the opposite of waiting on the Lord in this Scripture is the doing of evil. That is because every time we do not wait on God to guide us, we do the wrong thing. It is not in us to guide ourselves or to conceive of anything holy; we must be led by the Spirit or we will do evil. Those are the only two choices for mankind. And that is why David sang this holy admonition for us all: “Wait on the Lord! Be of good courage, and he will strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!”
Isaiah prophesied about it (40:31):
“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Jeremiah spoke of it (Lam. 3:26):
“It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”
God saves us from doing evil every time He gives us a commandment. He saves us from doing evil every time the Spirit lets us know the will of God, for without such help from heaven, all we can do is sin. Jesus is our Savior because he lives and gives us the knowledge of God each day. When he speaks to us, what is he saving us from but sin?
Jesus will return to save us from eternal damnation, too. For those who patiently wait for him, he will bring the eternal salvation that God has promised. “And in that day, it shall be said, ’Lo! This is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation!” (Isa. 25:9).
Jesus told his disciples, “In your patience, you possess your souls.” He was saying, in effect, “Wait on me. I am the only one who knows the way.” Every soul who has ever waited on God knows that to be the truth. And every soul who has not waited on God knows that to be truth as well.