I read David’s words in Psalms in the morning and Job’s words after work. I couldn’t help but see that both of these men were facing incredibly difficult trials. Yet, only one of them showed me a better way to wait on the Lord.
I never want to judge Job’s character because I haven’t walked in his shoes. I haven’t been abandoned on the side of the road, desperately begging God to heal the leprous sores on my body. I haven’t buried all of my children on the same day. Most of us will never understand the depth of the pain and suffering he endured.
I just wonder, if given the “opportunity,” how many of us are more like Job than we’d like to admit? Let’s be careful to not lump Job into the “unsaved, unholy” category unless we’ve walked in his shoes.
With that said, David modeled time and time again how to pour out our broken hearts to the Father in a way that still honors and worships Him at the center. Psalm 27 is a beautiful example of this for me. David showed us how to worship through the wait.
Were people chasing him down? Yes. Were his enemies surrounding him? Yes. Did it seem as though everything was falling apart around him? Yes. Was he abandoned by his family? Yes. Just like Job, he was under attack. The difference between Job and David was David’s response to this attack.
David responded with worship.
He began to sing to the Lord, “Here’s the one thing I crave from God, the one thing I seek above all else: I want the privilege of living with him every moment in his house, finding the sweet loveliness of his face, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to live my life so close to him that he takes pleasure in my every prayer.” Psalm 27:4
What was the ONE thing David wanted? Deliverance? Healing? Rest? A spouse? Fame? Money? Nope. None of the above.
Above everything else, he simply wanted to be in God’s presence. He just wanted to live in God’s house, staring at His beautiful face, studying at His feet. He just wanted to worship God.
“THE ONE THING I CRAVE IS ____________”
Here’s what I’ve learned…if I fill in the blank with anything besides Him, I’m doing it wrong.
The “better” way to wait is to worship Him. Not because we want anything from Him, but just because He’s the only one worthy of that spot. If we crave wealth, fame, or even a big, happy family above everything else, we’ll miss the mark.
What one thing do you crave, friend? Like really crave? Is it security? Children? A comfortable retirement plan? None of these are “bad” things, but they’re still the wrong things. I know this stings a little bit. It stung me, too.
He deserves the rightful place to be enthroned on our hearts as we offer up our lives as living, breathing sacrifices. There’s nothing we have to DO. It’s simply a heart posture of worship.
Worship through your wait. It’s the better way.
PSALM 27Â A PSALM OF DAVID
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
Featured Image by Jackson David on Unsplash
