Opening Prayer: Our Lord and God, I pray that I would allow Your Spirit to empower me this day and every day. I know that I can do nothing good in my life without Your intervention. My sin saddens You and lessens the effectiveness of our relationship. I am nothing without You. I pray for freedom from temptation. I desire a continued deep connection with You. Convict me of my continual need for You in all the decisions of life. The continuation of life and my protection are in Your hands. Do not ignore my cry for sustained intimacy. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!
Today’s Bible Verse: Psalm 33:20-21
We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.
Associated Scriptures:
Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it (Psalm 37:34).
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice (Philippians 4:4)!
Correlative Quotes:
To wait is a great lesson. To be quiet in expectation, patient in hope, single in confidence, is one of the bright attainments of a Christian. Our soul, our life, must hang upon God; we are not to trust him with a few gewgaws (worthless bobbles, meaningless objects, or unimportant decisions), but with all we have and are. He is our help and our shield. Our help in labor, our shield in danger. The Lord answered all things to his people. He is their all in all. Note the three "ours" in the text. These holdfast words are precious. Personal possession makes the Christian man; all else is mere talk.[1] – Charles Spurgeon
This is not merely rejoicing in God's Word and works, but rejoicing in Himself. This is the highest attainment of piety (reverence or respect). But this joy is one of the fruits of faith. Because we have trusted in His holy name. The more we know of God's grace in Christ, the more our hearts exult in Him.[2] – W. Forsyth
The measure of men's hope and trust in God is the measure of his mercy and goodness to them. Those who are assured that they have full trust in him may confidently expect a complete deliverance. Thus, "according to" (KJV) is emphatic.[3] – H. D. M. Spence and Joseph Excell
Author’s Notes:
INTRODUCTION
To wait on the Lord is commendable. To put God in control of life is admirable. However, Christians must be all in. God is not satisfied with a sometimes commitment. He has no interest in mundane, worthless bobbles, meaningless objectives, or unimportant decisions. He wants to be involved in all we say and do. When Christians make Jesus the Lord of their lives (Romans 14:9), they not only assure His guidance and direction they commit to following them.
WAITING, WONDERING WITHOUT WANDERING
Psalm 27:14 encourages the believer to Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Waiting on God has nothing to do with service to God. I have heard teachers in the past who interpreted this verse as serving God as if they were a waiter or waitress. This verse speaks of patience. God has His special timing. He decides when changes will occur. Believers can’t force it and they can’t predict it. Many ministers and teachers in the past attempted to show how Jesus would return during their lifetime. He didn’t.
Even though the saints must wait for God, they must be ready for anything when it happens. Wait, but be prepared.
Psalm 115:9 explains: O Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
Jesus is our help and our security. He provides direction through the difficult decisions of life. He understands human life since He possessed a body and mind like ours.
The Spirit is our support. He provides comfort in times of physical, emotional, or spiritual sorrow or pain. His power is unlimited. He supplies protection against temptation.
Laud and praise to the Godhead should be a natural reaction to the support and protection we receive. Even when we are waiting for God’s timing in all the issues of life, we should exult Him. Worship is not limited to the church assembly.
Psalms 146:3-4 explains: Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
The world system demands trust. However, society as a whole represents its father the devil (John 8:44). Satan lures us with promises of health, wealth, and security. These empty allurements either drown people in failure or empty success. The more we lean toward to golden ring, the greater risk to fall off the merry-go-round of life. The promise of the world is fulfillment, but the reality is emptiness.
Psalm 9:10 teaches: Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you. Trust in mankind must be earned and then measured continually. The God of truth will never disappoint us. He is always trustworthy.
Spiritual Application:
God will provide protection and direction, but it will be in His timing. He will be our help and our fortification. Be patient but be vigilant and ready for action when God moves.
Lessons within the Lesson:
What do you think God will protect you from? Read Galatians 5:16.
When do you think God will not protect you? Read Psalm 91:14.
What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
How do we know when God is directing us? Read Proverbs 3:5-6.
[1] Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David, Vol. 2, Psalm 37:7-9, Ibid, P. 109
[2] W. Forsyth, Psalm 33:20-21, The Preachers Commentary, Vol. 1. Psalms, Richard D. Dickinson, 89 Farringdon Street, Public Domain. P. 157.
[3] H. D. M. Spence and Joseph Excell, The Pulpit Commentary, Psalm 37:7-9, Vol. 1, Ibid., P. 248.