I have become a part of a prayer group here in Bakersfield called Abide. I attend the Monday morning session but they also have a Monday evening session. I have met several wonderful Christian women who love the Lord, His Word and prayer in the morning Abide, but I haven’t yet met all the other ladies who attend the evening Abide.

I thought I’d go out to the Monday evening session last week to meet other sisters who have the same heart I have for seeking the Lord. My friend, Naomi, who leads the Abide groups, was there, along with Debbie, whom I had met once at a Monday morning Abide time. Others, one being a lady named Kay, were supposed to attend but though we waited before starting, no one came. Though I was delighted to be there with Naomi and Debbie, I was a trifle disappointed that I wasn’t going to get to meet these other ladies Naomi had told me about who usually attend the evening Abide group. Alas, I’d try another time to meet them. In the meantime, we had a great time listening to the Word and in prayer with the Lord.

Still, Naomi was surprised the other ladies hadn’t shown up when they had told her they were coming. Most unusual. After our 2 hour time together, we locked up the building at church in which we met and went our separate ways home.

I opened my email the next morning to read a message from Naomi. Kay and another lady HAD been at church to meet for prayer but finding the outer door locked (they didn’t knock, just assumed no one was there) the two of them had prayer together and left, thinking it quite strange Naomi wasn’t there.  All the while, we were in the building listening to the Word and praying!

Every weekend Naomi posts an article on the Abide blog site with an invitation to join them for prayer. This week’s article was written by Kay Chancey, the Kay who was locked out when we were expecting her to join us! I thought Kay’s article was so good, I wanted to share it with you all. I asked for, and received her permission to post her article on my blog, and an invitation to coffee to meet her next week!

I’m having so much fun!

Please read Kay’s thoughts on Waiting on the Lord. May He bless you as you contemplate and then go out and live His Word.

Thoughts by Kay Chancey ( member night time ABIDE)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.” (italics mine) Psalm 32:8-9

Waiting on the Lord

There is a phrase God uses all throughout the scriptures to describe the act of getting into his presence; he calls it “waiting on the Lord.” It’s another way to say “meeting with God.” Yet I’ve mostly heard this phrase used to mean waiting for an answer to prayer or for direction. We think of “wait” as “not moving forward; holding back, patiently waiting our turn.” But words often carry more than one meaning. Scripturally, the phrase “waiting on the Lord” is more something to do, an action verb. It has to do with the act of worship. The word “wait” in Hebrew means “to look for, hope in, expect; to braid or twist together.” It’s something you’re actually doing, not waiting absent-mindedly in line.

Think of a waiter in a restaurant. He waits on tables. And if it’s your table, you hope it’s not the absent-minded waiting-for-you-to-leave definition! It’s his job, to actively wait tables. Hopefully he’s got the working definition - watching for eye contact, watching for what might be needed or wanted, ready to pounce into action. My dog definitely gets this active waiting thing; all ears, eyes, and muscles are trained on me as he attends to any movement or indication on my part. He even picks up on my mood or intention; what’s in my eyes.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.” (italics mine) Psalm 32:8-9

Oh, that we would be a generation skilled in waiting on the Lord, not so busy in all our self-imposed importance that he must force us to stop, and look at his face, but that we come running into his presence, humble, and eager to gaze long and wait.

Waiting on the Lord is a skill, a spiritual discipline to be developed. Seeking him, intentionally pursuing an awareness of him, the person of him, and attending to him – this is waiting on the Lord. Unlike before the fall, meeting with him is not natural; it doesn’t just happen, which is why we’re told to press in, to be diligent. We’re told to pursue, to seek his face and follow hard and fast after him. He wants this kind of relationship with you. He wants it. He created you to be you, because he likes you. He chose the you-ness of you and has invited you to walk through life with him. Not just with biblical principles or with the church or with a moral code, but with him. He’s made all the reservations, taken care of everything, and now it’s up to you to respond to that.

There are seven points here, on meeting with God. This is not a formula, and it’s not exhaustive, but rather just some things to consider as you spend time seeking his presence.

Waiting on the Lord

• Believe that he is real and that He wants to communicate with you.

• Have a healthy fear of a Holy God. He’s not your buddy; not your peer; he is altogether unlike us. Remember from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, when the beavers were describing Aslan to the kids and Lucy says, “Then he isn’t safe?” “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” We must have a healthy fear of a Holy God. Put yourself in your place. And come sincerely; seek God himself, not a contrived experience, or some spectacular manifestation of the Holy Spirit just for the novelty of it. 

• Set aside a block of time.  Maybe ten minutes, maybe an hour, or a day. Maybe you’re desperate, and you want to say to him, “I’m not getting up from here until you meet me.”

• Confess any known sin and give your life to him again.

• Get into his word and worship him there.  This is why daily devotions are so vital; to have a bible study that you do, or read a portion of a devotional book. If you use a devotional book, make sure you get into God’s words, too. Study his words or phrases; meditate on them/sit with them; look for his character in there; minister to him in worship; thank him; maybe journal; use his own words to exalt him; look for biblical truth that you can pray back to him. Have relationship with him through his word.

• Ask him for wisdom; and/or to show you something new and wonderful (Jeremiah 33:3). You can pour out your heart, if you need direction or an answer from him, or just are concerned about things. But ask him to speak into your life through his word. Most of the time we do all the talking, but he wants to get a word in, too!

• Settle down and wait.  Settle your mind and spirit from the constant thoughts and talking, and see if you can hear (sense) him speak to you in your thoughts, from his word, or in your spirit. Many times when Christians say, “the Lord spoke to me,” they mean that he impressed upon them an understanding – that he communicated without language, Spirit to spirit – in their inner man. Often he uses his written word to communicate, using whatever section of scripture you’re already in, “speaking” into your circumstances, problems, concerns, needs, or desires.

This waiting, for God himself to interact with you, may take some time and persistence. We are so used to perceiving from our physical senses (hearing, taste, touch, sight, smell), and always on the fast-track, drive-thru mode. But though this biblical meditation, or waiting on the Lord, is a sacrifice of time and though it may not come easy at first, developing the spiritual discipline of interacting with God personally will be the greatest joy of your life.

Prayer: LORD: teaches to pray and help us to desire to serve you by waiting and anticipate your voice in worship. We love you Lord!