Wait on the LORD

I remember sitting at a red light one time in the middle of town.  It had been red for what seemed like hours.  The light had been red for so long (there were no cars in the other direction) that cars just started to go past the red light.  It didn't matter what the law was.  So I decided to go too.  As soon as I go the light turns green and then another colored light shined.  Its color was blue.  I got pulled over and given a ticket.  I told the officer first "I thought the light was broke!" 

 He said "Its green now."  

Then I told the officer "Everyone else was crossing!"  

He replied, "I didn't see everyone else."

Patience is a tough thing to handle a lot of the times.  In this world we are seeking instant gratification (getting what we want when we want it).   If it is not ready now we don't want it.  It is the same way with God in our spiritual lives.  A lot of the time we want God to produce answers or get us out of trouble that instant.  We have little regard for His will in the situation.  We only want our own.  

In my quiet time I read 1 Samuel 13.  It talks about how King Saul was suppose to offer a burnt sacrifice before his battle with the Philistines but he must wait seven days until Samuel would arrive (8).  However, King Saul got impatient worrying about his officers leaving and fleeing and he offered the sacrifice early (9). In the midst of it burning Samuel appears and asks what has happened and Saul starts babbling off excuses (10-12).  Despite the excuses Samuel brings judgment upon King Saul for his disobedience to God's will (which he can because he is a prophet of God) (13).

King Saul's lack of patience for the will of God spoke by the prophet Samuel caused grievous punishment to be handed down upon him.  How many times do we destroy the glory that God had for himself in us due to the impatience we have in His plan.  King Saul's punishment was loosing the kingdom to a man after God's own heart.  Will that be our punishment.  If God has serious plans for His glory in our lives, what if He decides to take those plans somewhere else because we are not men and women after His own heart.  People with great potential in their lives with Christ are losing great opportunities because of their lack of patience and want to do His will. Whether it be in our work, studies, relationships, or activities.  When we don't wait on the LORD, God will remove His awesome plan from us and give it to someone more deserving.  Do we want that?

Starting today let us not seek instant gratification but wait for when the LORD sees fit.  Let us not live in our fears and our troubles that surround us, but in the faith that God is standing in our steed.  I charge you today to be a man or women after God's own heart.  Living everyday in His presence in His will, and in His time.  Let the Spirit of God reside in our hearts producing the fruit of patience in our lives.  Let us do the call God has called us to do!