What does it mean to wait upon the Lord? I have asked myself this question many times when I have found myself in a season of spiritual, emotional, and physical weariness, and exhaustion.
Here is a sneak peek of my guest post at Medium.com for Koinonia about how can we wait upon the Lord.
This question was especially on my mind in the days and months after I experienced the greatest loss of my life. Then I needed to make a major transition from a happily married wife to a widow and from living in the beautiful country of Austria to moving to my home country, Bulgaria.
The Lord kept speaking to me with this wonderful promise:
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”. (Isaiah 40:31)
This verse promises a renewal of the strength of all those who wait upon the Lord and this is what I needed then and need every day. So what does it mean to wait upon the Lord?
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What Does It Mean to Wait upon the Lord
The Hebrew word for “wait upon” or in the NIV translation “hope in” means originally to “bind up with”. This means we make a deliberate choice to bind up with the Lord, to fasten ourselves to Him as the greatest source of strength and the source of all our blessings.
We put our hold on the Lord and don’t let Him go until we receive His provision, solution, deliverance, or answer.
Waiting upon the Lord means fixing our gaze on Him: on His invisible and eternal qualities, on His character, and His love.
This is an act of faith and trust in Him; an attitude of expectancy that He will surely show off in our lives so we can experience His presence and care.
Waiting upon the Lord means fastening ourselves to Him as the greatest source of strength and the source of all our blessings. #trustGod #waitupontheLord #devotion Share on XWaiting upon the Lord is a Kind of Testing
To wait upon the Lord in all situations and every day of our lives is a kind of testing. This testing stretches our faith and helps us live focused on the invisible, eternal realm.
Testing our faith is a very good and beneficial thing because it leads to testimony. We learn to know from experience God’s goodness, strength, and love. We experience what it means to live by His strength and, despite all turbulent circumstances, threatening to make us stumble and fall, to stand. Testimony, in its turn, adds flesh and bones to our faith; it strengthens us and makes us more passionate and enthusiastic in our faith life.
Read the rest of the post at Medium.com and be strengthened and encouraged.
A Helpful Resource to Renew Your Strength and Courage
Check out this devotional to help you find new courage and strength in different challenging life situations, containing devotions, focusing on 7 major areas of life, selected scripture, and scripture-based prayer after each devotion.
More Encouragement for You
If you need more resources and encouragement in your Christian life, I can highly recommend these books. Check them out.
Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings by Hadassah Treu
A Testimony of Voices: 100 Devotionals Rising as One by EnLiven Devotionals
A Movement of Hearts: 100 Devotionals Beating as One by EnLiven Devotionals
Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Geringer
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Forward: Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow by David Jeremiah
Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig
Faith Talk: Christian Women & The Gospel by Heather Hart and contributing authors
Suffering and the Heart of God by Diane Langberg
This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!
Your Turn
How can you wait upon the Lord today? Share in the comments and on social media if you found this article helpful. Thank you!
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Struggling through my own transition right now. The reminder to bind myself to Him is so beautiful. I know He “will never leave nor forsake me”.
Blessings,
Tammy
Thanks, Tammy! Praying for a successful and blessed transition, friend! God will carry you through. Blessings to you!
Thanks for this helpful, touching blog and great links. . I found it when I was searching via the words “sorrowful yet always rejoicing.” Now I have shared your video in my new blog (tomorrow 9:00) I hope it will a blessing for others too.
Also Europian,
Aritha
Thanks so much, Aritha! I am happy you found the post helpful. I appreciate also that you will share the video on your blog. Praying blessings to you and your readers!
Bound to Him–beautiful, friend. Oh, my heart. I pray He continues to strengthen and hold you in His arms, friend.
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Thanks so much for your encouraging words and prayer support, sweet friend! Sending love and hugs!
How true—that He uses our times of waiting to help us look to the unseen, eternal realm!
Thanks, Emily! I am glad the post spoke to you. Blessings!
I’m so thankful that when we fix our gaze upon Him, He transforms us into His likeness.
Exactly, so beautifully said! Thanks, friend, and blessings to you!
These words are really sticking with me today:
“The Hebrew word for “wait upon” or in the NIV translation “hope in” means originally to “bind up with”. This means we make a deliberate choice to bind up with the Lord, to fasten ourselves to Him as the greatest source of strength and the source of all our blessings.”
I love how “wait upon” means to “bind up with”. Really beautiful visual of abiding deliberately with the Lord. Thank you for this beautiful post Hadassah! Blessings sweet sister, praying for you …
Thanks so much, Donna! I am happy that the post spoke to you and encouraged you, my dear sister. Blessings to you!
I love this. This was such a great and detailed way of explaining what waiting on the Lord really means. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Thanks, Charity! I am glad that you found the post helpful. Blessings to you!
Thank you for this post about what it means to wait on the Lord. I love the imagery of fastening myself to Him and holding on. As always, I appreciate your insights.
Thanks so much, Lisa! I am glad that the post spoke to you. Blessings to you!
Very interesting and poignant post. I had never heard the idea on waiting upon the lord. I always enjoy your posts and take away helpful ideas. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Debbie! I am happy that you could learn something new and found it helpful.
I really love that you pointed out that to “wait upon” or to “hope” is “bind with.” Let us be bound up in HIS love, waiting and hoping in HIM!!!
Thanks so much, friend I am glad the post encouraged you and gave you a personal takeaway!