Day Sixteen -- November 5, 2018

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope.
Psalm 130:5

James loves to tell the story of a time when he went bow hunting. He was sitting under a majestic oak tree, and the sun was cresting over the ridge and beginning to warm his chilled body. As he waited, his eyes became heavy and soon he was sound asleep, the bow on his lap. Suddenly, he was startled awake to find himself nearly nose to nose with the largest buck he had ever seen. He’s not sure who was more frightened, himself or the buck. The buck bounded away while James could only sit and wonder, “What if? What if I had been awake and alert?”

Yesterday’s devotion spoke of waiting. The truth is we can wait in many different ways. We can wait with expectation and hope, or we can wait convinced we are waiting in vain with little or no expectation of anything happening. The result? We fall asleep, like James, beneath the oak tree and miss the glorious opportunities God has in store for us.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope.

As we learn to wait upon God we need to ask ourselves what do we expect? Do we wait with the hope that God will speak to us? Do we wait with the expectation that God will lead us and guide us, or do we perhaps wait like James asleep under the oak tree? If we wait with hopeful expectation we will not be disappointed.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope.

Questions to consider

1. What do I expect as I wait upon God?
2. Do I believe that God can and will speak to me, lead me and guide me in my decision-making?
3. What keeps me from waiting upon God with hopeful expectation?

Prayer

Oh God, forgive me for the times I have fallen asleep beneath the oak tree and missed opportunities to serve and love You. Help me to find ways in the midst of my busy life to wait on You. Help me, Oh God, to wait on You with faith, hope, and anticipation, Amen