A Necessary but Challenging Lesson PSALM 27:14

There are many lessons for us to learn in God’s School of Obedience. With space for just two, I have chosen principles that aren’t easy. Yesterday, we learned that Christians must trust the Lord. Today, let’s tackle patience: Believers must learn to wait upon Him.

Have you ever wondered why the psalmist coupled the admonition to wait upon God with encouragement to be strong and courageous? The reason is that sometimes delaying is the hardest thing to do.

Modern culture is in such a hurry. Gotta have it now! Gotta do it now! Can’t wait! We’ve been primed to stay in a permanent state of readiness. It takes courage to be still when the world is rushing past. Everything in us hollers, “Go!” while God whispers, “Wait.” But people are quick to act, because they are afraid of missing out on something. Believers who buy into that attitude make a move and then hope God will bless them.

God leaves nothing to chance. He does not place a decision before us with the hope that we’ll make the right choice. That would be irresponsible and out of character. The Father is more than willing to show His children what to do, because He is personally interested in their welfare. But until the Lord makes clear what is the way forward, we’ve got to pause and wait.

Waiting upon God is not passive. It is not lazy. It is not an excuse to be careless. In fact, the opposite is true. Those who pause are seeking His will–which means that they are praying, searching Scripture, perhaps even fasting. And they are still serving the Lord wherever they can.

Fine Clothes

I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.

Ezekiel 16:10

Consider the matchless generosity with which the Lord provides for His people’s apparel. They are arrayed in this way so that the divine skill is seen producing an unrivaled “embroidered cloth,” in which every attribute takes its part and every divine beauty is revealed. There is no art like the art displayed in our salvation, no skillful workmanship like that seen in the righteousness of the saints. Justification has engrossed learned pens in every age of the church and will be the theme of admiration in eternity. In all this splendor there is utility and durability, comparable to our being “shod . . . with fine leather.” This skin covered the tabernacle and formed one of the finest and strongest leathers known.

The righteousness that is of God by faith endures forever, and he who is shod with this divine preparation will walk through the desert in safety. The purity and dignity of our holy vestments are brought out in “fine linen.” When the Lord sanctifies His people, they are clothed as priests in pure white; the snow itself does not excel them. They are in the eyes of men and angels fair to look upon, and even in the Lord’s eyes they are without spot. Meanwhile the royal apparel is delicate and rich as “silk.” No expense is spared, no beauty withheld, no grandeur denied.

What, then? Can we infer nothing from this? Surely there is gratitude to be felt and joy to be expressed. Come, my heart, do not refuse your evening hallelujah! Tune your pipes! Touch your chords!

Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed
By the Great Sacred Three!
In sweetest harmony of praise
Let all your powers agree.

Learning to Trust and Obey PROVERBS 3:5-6

As a newly saved boy of 12, I didn’t automatically know how to trust and follow God. For more than 60 years, the Lord has been training me in His “School of Obedience.” The most basic principle I learned there is also an essential key to spiritual maturity: Believers must trust God.

People do not obey a God whom they do not trust. In fact, I would say that most rebellion happens when a believer says, “I know what the Lord says, but . . . ” When we hang a “but” at the end of a biblical promise, we’re about to make an excuse to disobey.

The key lesson for trusting the Lord is recognizing His identity. God is the loving Creator and sovereign Ruler of the universe (Ps. 33; Ps. 103:19). His nature prevents Him from making promises that He will not fulfill (Ps. 89:34). And His ancient scriptural statutes apply to modern lives because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).

Men and women who believe that the Lord is who He claims to be are willing to surrender to Him. They’ll commit to obey Him in all things and then observe the results. (Hint: Obedience = Blessing, whereas Rebellion = Sorrow.) If you need assurance that the trust principle works, take a look at the lives of other believers, including biblical saints like David and Paul.

We cannot follow God on a case-by-case basis. Either we trust and obey or we don’t. The Sovereign of the universe invites us to depend upon Him to direct our path. Since He is in charge anyway, isn’t it better to walk beside Him than to resist His efforts to steer us right?