Waiting for the LORD in Isaiah

1. The Purpose of Waiting for the LORD

"Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." - Isaiah 26:8 (NIV)

We wait for the LORD, not for Him to satisfy our selfish desires, but for Him to glorify His name and renown, in and through us. Of course, God will give us the desires of our hearts as we delight ourselves in Him (Psalm 37:4). As John Piper puts it, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

2. The Practice of Waiting for the LORD

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

"O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!"" - Isaiah 30:18-22 (NIV)

We wait for the LORD by crying out to Him for help and destroying the idols of our hearts.

3. The Promise of Waiting for the LORD

"Since ancient times no on has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." - Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

We wait for the LORD knowing that He is our strength and acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our strong deliverer

You are the everlasting God, the everlasting God
You do not faint, You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)

Link: More on Waiting for the LORD in Isaiah (5 Sep 10)