ISAIAH 49:23, Our waiting continues

Isaiah 49:23

Those who hopefully wait for Me will never be put to shame.

Yes, we are here now at the moment we have waited for.

But I realized one thing - and that our waiting won't stop while living.

It just that each one of us has our own period of waiting.

When one ends, another will come.
From the simple waiting of dinner time to weekend rest then to the life-changing waiting period of a graduation day to employment day or engagement day to the wedding day, and so on.

Waiting seems to have no end.
But Why?

Because our hearts long for something - it keeps seeking.

Achieving something here on earth won't give us the full rest we long for.

It seems there's something in our hearts that no event nor things would fill.

Someone says, there is a God-shaped vacuum in our hearts that only God could fill.
And so we will keep on waiting for something - for someone until Christ Jesus returns again.

He is the One we ultimately wait for - the One who can only make us feel whole and complete, satisfied, and fulfilled.
And not until He comes back again, our life will go on waiting and waiting which means working and working.

So, are we doomed to despair because life is just a cycle of waiting and working like vanity as Solomon says in Ecclesiastes?

- Of course not.

Waiting and working creates a space or an avenue in us for hope, for faith, for belief.

It exercises our faith in God by keep believing that we always have hope in Him.
And this hope takes us to the future but it takes faith to see it.

Since life is like this, how can we wait wisely that is honorable and pleasant to God?

1. Wait and Pray
Praying allows us to learn His will, His way.
It is important for us to know that we are waiting for the right thing at the right time.
Like if we are waiting for love, let's say.
We have to discern "the when" of seeking it and "the how" of pursuing it.
Bible says to not awaken love until the time is right and that there is always a right time for every activity under heaven.

2. Wait and Work
God doesn't want us to be idle.
He wants us to act and be involved.
He loves to work with us - in and through us.
Working invites us to use the time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted us - and we honor Him if we do things with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength.

3. Wait and Rest
Maybe to most, this is the hardest part of waiting.
Because after doing the working, we need more power.
- power to do nothing.
Resting in His words reveals our attitude to how we take His promises seriously.
It unveils the confidence we have to the One who said will do it.

Now, what if we get tired?
Despite doing all these praying, working, and resting, God seems nowhere to be found.
He seems silent and not working.

Well, believe it or not, the Lord expects us to be tired that's why He says to come to Him and take a rest.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

It is never an option to quit - to turn our back from Him.

In the story of Job, he waited for God to intervene and save him.

He waited in pain and suffering for some period of time but he never turns away from God.
He might have questioned His love but he brought all his arguments and pleas to Him.
He expresses the steadfastness of his faith by keep reaching out his voice to God.

And we know in the end, Job wasn't disappointed.

Isaiah 40:31

Yet those who wait for the LORD
will gain new strength;
They will mount up on wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired.
They will walk and not become weary.

If we will turn our back from God then to whom else will we go?

Jeremiah 6:16