And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:28, 31-32
Before I met Susan, I was engaged to someone else. I remember when God was dealing with me about the fact that I wasn’t supposed to marry this other girl. I couldn’t imagine how anything could possibly be any better than marrying her. I walked across the quadrangle at my college in New England praying: “Lord, I really want to marry her. You know I want to marry her, but even more than I want to marry her, I want your will for my life. If you don’t want me to marry her, would you please, somehow, end it? I want your will even more than I want her.”
God answered my prayer clearly. It was devastatingly painful and hard. It was also so merciful, kind, and wonderful of the Lord.
If I had been married to this other girl, I couldn’t have married Susan. God knew this, but I didn’t. What I’m suggesting about prayer is so basic and simple, but so seldom practiced. We need to come to our heavenly Father, who has already proven His love for us, and be honest with Him about what we feel, want and desire, and then put it all on the altar saying, “Lord, this is where I am, how I feel, what I want. But, Lord, more than all of this, I want your will.” Then, we must realize that our Abba Father, our Daddy, who has all wisdom and perfect love for us, is able to perfect that which concerns us. He will do whatever is necessary in order to direct our steps, if we will put His will above all else. He’ll do it. I’ve seen Him do it time and again in Scripture, throughout the history of the church, and in my life personally.
People who want to do the will of God may sometimes be embarrassed at their own missed cues, but God will do whatever it takes to make His will clear to those who are earnestly seeking to obey Him. Sometimes, we have to admit to others that we didn’t hear God correctly at first, and we’ll have to change direction in order to follow Him. But, if we approach the Lord, as the One before whom we stand as His servants, God will communicate through His word by His Spirit whatever is necessary in order for us to do His will.
We won’t always like what God has to say, we won’t always enjoy the path in which He leads us, but we will always find His direction to be gracious and the destination will be perfect. God’s plan for our lives is good, pleasing and perfect. He didn’t say it would be easy, but it is good, pleasing and perfect.
The prophet Elijah was a man just like us! The reason his prayers got results had to do with his spiritual posture before the Lord. When we talk about “waiting on the Lord,” the temptation is to think that God has to catch up with us. We place our order and then wait on the Lord. This is often the attitude we have in prayer. We wait and wait. This is not what is meant by “wait on the Lord.” He is “the Lord before whom I stand.” He is the Lord before whom I serve.
What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “Wait on the Lord?” We have a lovely embroidered piece in our home with an eagle and the verse, “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint. Teach me Lord to wait.” This is based on Isaiah 40:31. Waiting in the context of renewing strength sounds to some like taking a nap or resting.
To others, waiting on the Lord seems like a long wait in the waiting room at the doctor or dentist’s office. Because of our impatience, we do not have many pleasant associations with the word wait. However, waiting on the Lord is not sitting around resting and reading magazines until our name is called. Waiting on the Lord is much more than this.
In really fine restaurants, the waiters stand close by to see what the patrons need. When the iced tea gets low, they refill it. When you finish what is on the plate, they take it away. This is what it means to “wait.” A person who “waits” stands close by, watching and waiting to serve.
When the Bible speaks of our “waiting on the Lord,” the primary use of the term is not about God taking too long to do what He’s supposed to do. It’s about our positioning ourselves as His servants watching Him and saying, “Lord, we’re standing here in order to do your bidding. Just tell me what you want me to do or say.”
Look at the life of Jesus. He was asked, “How do you do the things that you do? Where did you get your power, your authority?” Jesus’ answer was consistently that He only did what the Father told Him to do, and He only said what the Father told Him to say. Jesus always tells the truth. And, when He took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, He said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
This is the secret of Elijah too. Elijah said, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years, except at my word.” He was able to say this because He was the Lord’s servant, doing what God commanded and saying what God told him to say. When he called down fire from heaven, he said, “Lord, I want you to do this, so that these people will know that I have done all of these things at your command.”
Talking with our heavenly Father involves lovingly expressing the honest cry of our hearts, but also watching and listening for the direction He would have us go. We learn to live in order to do His will. Doing His will brings Him glory and honor. It also brings rest to our souls. So, what kind of prayers are you offering God? Are you praying the prayers of an ordinary man? Are you praying like Elijah?
