Waiting by the Brook: Learning to Wait Patiently on Godናሙና

Actively Waiting

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27: 14, NKJV)

Psalm 27 is one of my favorite psalms. At a young age, my mind fixated on the verse:

“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (Psalm 27:10, NLT).

Having been abandoned by my mother when I was a baby, those words were precious to me.

However, this well-known psalm does not only offer comfort for those who are abandoned or find themselves waiting on God; it also ends with guidance about what is expected of us: “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He will strengthen thine heart.” We are encouraged to “wait on the Lord.”

But what does it mean to “wait on the Lord?” In everyday usage, we understand the word “wait” to mean that we remain where we are or delay some action that we intend to take until a set time or until something else happens. The waiting person relinquishes control of the outcome and/or delays action for some reason that is either in their control or outside of their control. For instance, I may choose to wait until after dinner to have a cookie because I want to enjoy my dinner first. I could also wait until I am sixteen to get my US driver’s license because that is when I can legally obtain one. In the first case, I am in control of the wait; in the latter, I am not.

In our relationship with God, “waiting” takes on a more nuanced meaning. The Hebrew word the psalmist uses for “wait” is “qavah.” It means “to wait, to look for, to hope, or to expect.” It suggests an active state of being -- eagerly waiting with anticipation that God will act. When I read the passage with this understanding in mind, I realize that to wait on God is to relinquish any control that I may think I have over the situation and to leave it solely in His capable hands. But there is more! Waiting on God is a faith exercise; I wait expectantly for what I cannot yet see (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). I qavah!

It is in this very active waiting space that we can find the path to a more intimate encounter with God. Are you prepared to qavah on Him?

Reflect: Do you currently find yourself in a waiting experience with God? Describe it. What actions can you take to actively wait on God?