Are we waiting on God....or is He waiting on us?

[Brian Blankenship]

Isaiah 40:31, we quote alot. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

We always speak of waiting on God. What about the fact that God is waiting on us!

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

I love the book of Isaiah. The hardest part is waiting. but I see what you mean about God waiting on us. He has to be so patient and uderstand--and compassionaate. I feel that H looks at us as little children. He understands things that cause people to draw back from being a Christian. He understands things that have transpired in our life, that is causing us to questiion and draw back. But, we will be accountable for ourselves.

[Brian Blankenship]

I love the book of Isaiah. The hardest part is waiting. but I see what you mean about God waiting on us. He has to be so patient and uderstand--and compassionaate. I feel that H looks at us as little children. He understands things that cause people to draw back from being a Christian. He understands things that have transpired in our life, that is causing us to questiion and draw back. But, we will be accountable for ourselves.

Anne, I agee with alot of what you said, but your last sentence, "we will be accountable for ourselves."
Could you please explain? Thanks.

[Dennis Bratcher]

Isaiah 40:31, we quote alot. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

We always speak of waiting on God. What about the fact that God is waiting on us!

That question can certainly be asked, but not from Isaiah 40:31. Waiting for God is a major theme of Isaiah, begun in 8:17 and tracking through 64:4. This comes from the context of the exilic period where the people are powerless to do anything to affect their future. It is Isaiah’s way of expressing faith, trust, and hope in God from the midst of uncertainty, powerlessness, and even despair. This is also a theme of several other biblical traditions, including lament Psalms (27, 37, etc.; Acts 1:4, 2 Peter 3:11ff).

So, the answer to the question would depend on the context from which it is asked.

Grace and peace,

Dennis B.

[Dale Cozby]

Are we waiting on God....or is He waiting on us? Answer: Yes. :basic03

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

Brian, many things in my past have affected me extremely bad.
I am so thankful, that God knows and understands these things, and what makes me tick. But, what I was trying to say was, that no matter what I have been through, when it come to the judgement, I will have to stand on my own two feet, even though others, directly, or indirectly, helped make me into what I was-or use to be. He has brought me so far. I could not learn to rely on Christ, as long as I had to answer to a very strong disciplinary person. I felt that Iwas 38 years of age, before I even began growing up. But, even though I went through years of stuggle, learning to make my own decisions, and learning to grow spiritually, the time would come, that only I would be accountable in the end, for my life. I wish some of us could talk with each other sometimes, and we could understand one another better.

My heart has always cried out to God, to be all He wants me to be. I have had a tendancy to be what people call a prayer warrior, and I don't mean that to brag. It was my personality, and what I was raised in. But, I am no longer able to carry these burdens., for souls. But, i love to be His hand extended, in any way, I can be, to help others.
Maybe, you, I, Dwayne and your wife and family could get together sometimes. We have driven to Lambert's to eat twice, and you live relatively near there. I feel sure Dwayne would be willing to fill your pulpit, if a time should come that you need him to.

[Brian Blankenship]

That question can certainly be asked, but not from Isaiah 40:31. Waiting for God is a major theme of Isaiah, begun in 8:17 and tracking through 64:4. This comes from the context of the exilic period where the people are powerless to do anything to affect their future. It is Isaiah’s way of expressing faith, trust, and hope in God from the midst of uncertainty, powerlessness, and even despair. This is also a theme of several other biblical traditions, including lament Psalms (27, 37, etc.; Acts 1:4, 2 Peter 3:11ff).

So, the answer to the question would depend on the context from which it is asked.

Grace and peace,

Dennis B.

Dennis, I appreciate your input and scriptural background. The thing that intrigues me is that we often speak of waiting on God, and how long sometimes we wait. But we need to realize just how patient God is for us, not wanting us to perish. Its amazing that God doesn't just zap us when we fall.

In my own life, there have been times when I have asked the Lord, I know you are wanting to perfect your will in me. I know through what we have been through with Kara, and sometimes my own shortcomings, yet God doesn't just throw me away. He chooses, yes I said it, He chooses to love me with his perfect love. He waits on me to get it.

Think of the disciples. The Lord it seems found 12 men that were very inadequate according to the world's standards. Yet, on the day of pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell on them, and they changed the world.

My question is, what is God waiting for to happen in us to perfect His will in our lifes?

I like to think of the Father in the prodigal son story that is waiting for His younger son to come home. I think of the Father in the same story that comes out to the field where the older son is jealous, clueless to what is going on in His house. Could it be that God is waiting for us to join in the celebration by getting our focus on ourselves, and how faithful we have been(as if He didn't know it), and get our focus on doing what we can to reach the lost?

What is God waiting for in our churches or in our families so that He can reign supreme and His spirit will guide? These are just a few questions on my mind tonight.

[Brian Blankenship]

Is there anything else that God is waiting on?

[Barbara Moulton]

I think there are two kinds of waiting that God does.

To illustrate from parenting:

There were times when I had to "wait" for my children as they worked through the implications of neglect or disobedience. For example, I told them that we were leaving in an hour and to get ready. But they put off doing what they needed to do and when it came time to leave I had to wait for them. I waited with patience.

There were times when I waited because they were not yet physically, emotionally or intellectually able to do something. I didn't start giving them solid food when they were still only capable of nursing. I waited with availability, having the resources so that when they were able, I would be ready.

God does both types of waiting on us I believe. And the glorious thing is that God knows our hearts. He knows if He is waiting because we are stubborn or if it is because we are just not ready.

For the first, He forgives. For the second, He forbears.

[Brian Blankenship]

I think there are two kinds of waiting that God does.

To illustrate from parenting:

There were times when I had to "wait" for my children as they worked through the implications of neglect or disobedience. For example, I told them that we were leaving in an hour and to get ready. But they put off doing what they needed to do and when it came time to leave I had to wait for them. I waited with patience.

There were times when I waited because they were not yet physically, emotionally or intellectually able to do something. I didn't start giving them solid food when they were still only capable of nursing. I waited with availability, having the resources so that when they were able, I would be ready.

God does both types of waiting on us I believe. And the glorious thing is that God knows our hearts. He knows if He is waiting because we are stubborn or if it is because we are just not ready.

For the first, He forgives. For the second, He forbears.
Barbara, I agree with you and I can see both the forgiveness, and the forbearance that God does as He waits on us. When I asked this question, I was thinking mainly of his forbearance.