Waiting with expectation – 2 Oct 2008

 

In Matthew 24 v 50 it is written that “The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.”

 

This is one of the many places in the bible that the Lord Jesus teaches us about waiting with expectation.  This is because there is a time and season for everything.  This principle is true and can be traced back right from the time of creation in Genesis chapter 1.  God didn’t let everything happen on the same day although we all know he could have done so if he wanted.  The sun rises and sets at predetermined times.  There is day and night, seed time followed by harvest, and the moon and stars all appear to us at appointed times.

 

God has given us all these visible things as a reassurance that the promises we are waiting for by faith will one day manifest.  The only thing we don’t know is the hour.  In the meantime what sustains us is perseverance and faith, which comes from listening to the word of God.

 

The promise in Matthew 24 v 50 refers to every promise in the bible both here on earth and our hopes for eternal life in Heaven.  More than anything else it’s talking about what we do whilst waiting for our Lord Jesus to appear in our situation.

 

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”   Revelation 22:12 [NIV]

 

Every believer in Christ I know prays, or has prayed, for some need.  We also know that God is faithful and answers prayers.  But why do we sometimes not see the results of answered prayers?  I believe part of the answer lies in what we do during the waiting period.

 

Jesus summed it up for us in the parable of the persistent widow:

 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.   And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?   I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:6-8 [NIV]

 

When Jesus comes to answer our prayers, will he find us doing what we are supposed to be doing?  Will he find us standing in faith – still believing the promises he gave us twenty years or two days ago?  Do we realise God is not like man – we don’t always know which way or the time he is going to appear.  He will not always use “the mud” to heal our eyes, nor use a burning bush to draw our attention.  In fact, some were expecting him to come in a certain way and at a certain time but when he came - walking on the water, they thought it was a ghost and he also was about to go past them.

 

Today pray for more revelation on what the Lord Jesus wants you to do and how he wants you to wait for him.  I believe most prayers have already been answered.  However when they manifested in the manner we least expected, we got passed by.  Consider Naaman who expected the prophet to pray for his healing.  If he had not found the grace to humble himself and follow the simple instruction to dip himself in the river seven times, he would not have had his miracle!

 

Whatever you are waiting for take comfort in that as sure as the sun will rise up in the morning, the Lord will appear for you. Read Hosea 6 vs 3.