“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews12: 2).

“For God alone my soul waits in silence…Yea, let none that wait for Thee be
put to shame…but they who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength…
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for
the LORD…I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my
cry” (Psalm 62:1; Ps.25:3; Isaiah 40:31; Psalm.27:14; Psalm.40:1; RSV).

In Christian life, waiting for God and waiting on God are two of the most
difficult spiritual disciplines to be learned and applied. First, according to the
Bible, waiting for God—the Father requires an unswerving reliance on His
Word, patience, and trust. Second, waiting upon God—serving the Father
entails obedience and the pursuit of holiness. In sum, it takes a genuine faith.
Since many believers often fail to hear the voice of God, rather than living
out what they profess, they practice what they actually think. In other words,
they rationalize and compartmentalize the Word of God according to their
own worldview. But when formal faith does not translate into functional faith
(cf. James 2:14-18), it leads to self-deception. This surely, dishonors holy God.
Doubt and unbelief caused Adam’s fall! And since that time, it affects the
human race, including the children of God. For example, Abraham was the
pioneer and the model of true faith. Yet when God had promised Abraham a
son, rather than waiting for God’s timing, he heeded his wife’s suggestion to
have a child through an Egyptian surrogate mother (cf. Genesis 15:4; 16:1-4).
The effects of Sarah’s common-sense decision are still evident today both
in the Middle East and all around the world. When God visited Abraham
thirteen years later, Sarah heard God renewing His promise to her husband
that she would conceive a son, but she laughed. For, barrenness and old age
were more real to Sarah than the unfailing promises of God. (cf. Gn.18:10-15).
In the case of Abraham, since he chose to please his wife, he displeased
God. Consequently, Abraham had to wait thirteen agonizing years before he
heard from God again! Also, at Sarah’s request, Abraham had to banish his
son Ishmael and his mother Hagar. So, Abraham forfeited thirteen long years
of communion with God, and was separated from a son he certainly loved.
Another example is Saul, who was elected by God to be king over Israel
and was anointed by Samuel, one of the mightiest prophets in the land. King
Saul had been instructed by the prophet Samuel. Also, Saul had experienced the changing power of the Spirit of God and had been a partaker of God’s
prophetic ministry. But when faced with a fierce battle waged by the enemy
and with the desertion of his troops, Saul forgot Samuel’s instructions. In his
humanity, he leaned on his own understanding rather than trusting his God.
Saul made a conscious decision to disobey God. Thus, by taking matters
into his own hands, not only he forfeited the kingdom, but he ultimately died
in a horrific way. If only Saul had prayed to God, he would have discovered
that Samuel was just around the corner. And, had Saul waited a little longer
for God, his kingdom would have been confirmed forever (cf.1Sa. 9-13, 31:1-5).
Ignoring the Scriptures is as disobeying the Father’s revealed will. This is a
very serious sin for any people and at any time. It does not matter whether it
involves people of the Old Testament or the New Testament. For in God’s
eyes obedience is better than sacrifice. In fact, obeying God sacrificially is the
purest form of worship (cf. Gn. 22:5). So, obeying God characterizes true faith!

The author of the book to the Hebrews states that, “…Without faith it is
impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe
that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb.11:6).
According to the Word of God, learning from the mistakes of others is
very wise, for it is God’s revealed truth. Paul wrote, “These things happened
to them as examples, and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the
fulfillment of the age has come (1Corinthians 10:11; please see also Ro. 15:4).
In light of the above, God’s children ought to heed His warnings. For, if
one is saved by grace through faith and not by good works, one owes all to
God and depends solely on Him. So then, “When I learn the will of God, not
in the words of a man or a book, but from God himself, I will surely believe
what is promised and do what is commanded. The Holy Spirit is the voice of
God, and when we hear the living voice, obedience becomes easy” (A. Murray).
The apostle Paul illustrates what living by true faith looks like: “I have
been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life
I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me” (Ga. 2:20). This should be the motto of born-again Christians!
God used the apostle Paul to evangelize and to educate the ancient Roman
world. In fact, Paul turned the pagan world of his day upside down. So, since
God never changes, He desires that his children should also turn the twenty-first century pagan world upside down. How? By preaching Christ crucified.
Sadly, postmodern Christians have reinvented themselves! Most of them
have abandoned the Scriptures and have embraced secular humanism. Many
so-called evangelicals walk by sight, not by faith. They no longer see the need
of sharing the Good News with those within their sphere influence. Instead of
interceding for lost souls they only recite the “Father, do list.” What a shame!
So, may we ask the loving Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, to revive us again.
~ Prayer support ~ Biblical counseling is freely available