Waiting on God

There have been several discussions among the various groups of Christians that I love to spend time with on the subject of “waiting on the Lord”. Just yesterday I spent approximately 6 hours of my day, in a couple of different conversations, on our Heavenly Father and the concept of what it is to wait on God. From these conversations has sprung a picture in my mind that I would like to share. Let me tell a story.

There was a man walking through the forest with his three year old son. Because the forest was thick and the terrain uncertain; the father insisted on holding his son’s hand.

Now as they walked along, as you can imagine, the son began to act as children do. The child, full of excitement and curiosity would attempt to run ahead pulling on his father. The father, knowing that allowing the child to run ahead would cause the child great risk, held firm to the child’s hand. The child overcome with selfish desire to explore and run ahead would occasionally wiggle his hand free from his father and start running ahead. The child knowing only of his desire, wanted to leave his father in order to go where he wished.

The father, who knew the forest and knew all the dangers that lie ahead outside of his protection, would quickly scold the child each time he would pull away; and run ahead. The father remained patient with the child; but with each correction came a raised and stern voice. Occasionally, due to the child’s defiance, the father would issue a firm swat to his child’s behind in an effort to discipline his child and help him to understand the value of obedience. The father, remaining patient and never angry, only sought to protect the child from all the dangers of leaving the protection of his father.

The child, angry with the father would not always respond well to being corrected. For though the child did not know all that the father knew; the child still was captivated by his own wants and desires. From time to time, in rebellion, the child would reject the fathers correction and discipline and in an act of defiance would just sit down and refuse to walk with the father. The father, understanding the battle of wills, would walk on until the child would see that there was no benefit in sitting. The child would reluctantly get up and run to catch up with his father.

The father, understanding that the child needed to learn for himself, would allow the child to run ahead occasionally. It was in these times that the child would stumble and hurt himself. Sometimes he would encounter a new animal or sound that would frighten him. Every time he would run ahead, it was not long before he realized he had lost sight of his father, placed himself at risk or even injury, and would go running back to the safety of his father.

By the end of the walk through the forest, the child had learned the valued of walking with his father. He learned the risk of running a head; as well as learning that there was no value in sitting and pouting. He learned the value of walking with his father, waiting on his father and not resisting where his father wanted to take him.

I believe that the phrase of “waiting on the Lord” is meant to tell us as children; just walk with Him. Not running ahead, not lagging behind; but just to walk with Him and in Him.

Heavenly Father; give me the patience to walk with you, the endurance to stay with you and the wisdom to know the difference. I pray in Jesus’ name! -Amen