Exploring A Simple, Life-Altering & Challenging Way To Know God

Keith KettenringChristian Living, The Uncommon Journey

How did the saints of old come to know God? The Psalmist David gives us a clue when he writes: 

Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long (Psalm 25.4-5, ESV). The New King James reads: “On you I wait all the day.”  

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David is saying this about God: 

  • Because you alone are my salvation, this is what I long for from you – to know your ways, to be taught your paths, to be led in and taught your truth.
  • This is how I will obtain all of this – I wait on/for you all day long. 

What does it mean to “wait on/for the Lord?” 

  1. Waiting is not a passive experience. It’s not as if you sit back, fold your arms, and do nothing until God shows up. 
  2. Waiting is like serving those at a restaurant table. Have you ever “waited” tables? The “waiter/waitress” pays attention to the needs of those at his/her table. The servers are there to serve, do what the patrons ask, and anticipate their desires. A waiter doesn’t give orders to his patrons. The waitress “waits” for her order from another. 
  3. Waiting is like anticipating an event or the appearance of someone. You don’t move ahead until what is expected has appeared. 

Characteristics of waiting: 

  • Patience – the ability to persevere, endure, and remain faithful in someone’s presence or absence. It doesn’t matter which. 
  • Attentiveness – to be occupied by another or something else; attentive to them in their absence or in their presence 
  • Expectancy – anticipating the desires of another or what may happen at an event 

Applied to you in light of Psalm 25.5 – “on/for you I wait all the day long.” 

  1. God’s ways, paths, truth are learned as you wait, in the way just described, on/for God. 
  2. God’s ways, paths, truth are learned as you wait all day long. It is in minute-by-minute occupation with/attentiveness to God that you learn His ways, paths, and truth. 

In all you do today, be occupied, attentive to, patient, and expectant with God. As you wait on Him all day long, you will come to know Him and His ways. 

I’ll explore some practical ways to do this in my next post. 

How will you “wait on the Lord all day long” today? Share below. 

Dr. K