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shows, but the patience of God was to regulate the inter-relation of Jewish and Gentile
saints in order that they may
"Receive one another, even as Christ also received us to the glory of God" (Rom. 15: 7).
#20.
The Grace of Waiting . . . . . . . Watching and Waiting.
pp. 110, 111
The R.V. of Isa. 64: 4 speaks of God as One "Who worketh for him that waiteth for
Him", while Rotherham's translation says:--
"Although from age-past times it was never heard, it was not perceived by the ear,
neither did the eye ever see, that a God beside Thee could work for the man who waited
for Him."
The context speaks of the misery and desolation that had befallen Israel, and their
hope is expressed in the words "Look down", "Come down" (Isa. 63: 15, 64: 1). All
that man can do is to wait. The peculiar character of God is brought forward, in that
unlike anything that had been heard or seen He worketh for him that waiteth for Him.
Is there no word of peace and assurance here for the child of God in the present day?
Is it no encouragement to believe that while he perforce must wait, God can work? So
important is this attitude of waiting, that Isaiah elsewhere tells us that God waits until
we are led to wait: "And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you
. . . . . blessed are all they that wait for Him" (Isa. 30: 18). He waits that He may be
gracious. We wait and are blessed.
Waiting without murmuring and without anxiety is the essence of the life of faith:
"The vision is yet for an appointed time . . . . . wait for it . . . . . the just shall live by his
faith" (Hab. 2: 3, 4). Moses must wait the appointed time, 80 years, before he is ready to
lead Israel out of Egypt. Joseph must wait, and endure false charges and prison, until the
appointed moment places him upon the throne. God Himself waits, that He may be
gracious. The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah. The very creation itself
is waiting the day of deliverance. Let us then with patience wait, knowing that in the
silent years, while we must wait, God is working.
The verse quoted above from Isa. 64: is quoted in I Cor. 2: 9 but with a slight
change of wording: "the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him." "To
wait" then in the scriptural sense is "to love", or rather we wait confidently and
uncomplainingly because we love. Here, instead of Israel's restoration, we have that
which God ordained before the ages unto our glory (I Cor. 2: 7-9).
To wait not only fulfils the idea of "faith" (Hab. 2:), and "love" (I Cor. 2:), but also
"hope". "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it"