Wait is an Action Verb

Wait is an Action Verb

Bible Verses and Devotions / 4 minutes of reading /

Acts 1:4:  “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Luke 24:49 – I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Stay, tarry, remain, and wait.  Wait is defined by Dictionary.com in the following ways:

  1. To remain inactive or in a state of repose until something expected happens
  2. To be available or in readiness
  3. To postpone or delay something
  4. To look forward to eagerly

Inactivity. Repose. Resting. Doing nothing. That is hard to do in this busy world; however, if we want to hear from God, we have to wait.  But wait is an action verb.  So what should we be doing while we wait?  How do we actively wait?

  1. Pray –
    1. Psalm 5:3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
  2. Trust the timing –
    1. Psalm 31:14-15 But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God. My times are in your hands…
    2. Psalm 25:5 …for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.
  3. Expect and hope –
    1. Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You.
  4. Be still and silent –
    1. Psalm 62:1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    2. Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him.
  5. Wait in patience
    1. Psalm 37:7 Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently; lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.
  6. Focus – Eyes looking up for a vision
    1. Psalm 145:15 The eyes of all wait for You [looking, watching, and expecting] and You give them their food in due season.
    2. Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.
  7. Wait with strength
    1. Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.
  8. Get YOUR answer, not someone else’s
    1. Isaiah 30:18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who

[earnestly]

 wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him

[for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His
matchless, unbroken companionship]

! Wait for Him

  1. Isaiah 25:9 It shall be said in that day, Behold our God upon Whom we have waited and hoped, that He might save us! This is the Lord, we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

While we are waiting, how should we pray? Pray for

  1. Cleansing from sin
  2. Willingness to surrender to God’s plan, to obey
  3. Cooperation of others who play a role in God’s plan for you
  4. Ears to hear and recognize the voice of the Spirit
  5. Eyes to see the vision God has for you
  6. Strength to wait and resist any lies from the evil one
  7. Patience and steadfastness to wait and not act in your own power
  8. Power to carry out God’s instructions when you receive an answer

As we look to the dictionary definition of wait, we see that the word itself encompasses all that is listed and confirmed in other Bible verses.

  1. To remain inactive until we get specific direction from God
  2. To be available for His response and plan, and not get caught up in something else while we are waiting
  3. To postpone or delay action until the instruction is received
  4. To look forward and eagerly await God’s answer because we know it will be amazing. . . and …immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us Ephesians 3:20-21

 To Him be the glory!

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