wait on Him... Isaiah 30:15-18...

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,

"In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and trust shall be your strength."

But you were unwilling, and you said,

"No! We will flee upon horses"; therefore you shall flee away,

and, "We will ride upon swift steeds"; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.

A thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee,

till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,

and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.

For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:15-18 ESV

Blessed are those who wait on the Lord...

and right here in Isaiah... He tells us how to wait...

In returning and rest...

in quietness and trust...

through these we gain salvation... and strength... to wait...

But do you see who else is waiting...?

The Lord waits...

And what is He waiting for...?

To be gracious... to those unwilling to wait...

He waits...

for us to wear ourselves out...

trusting in the things of this world...

rather than returning... and waiting on Him...

He waits and watches...

for opportunities to be gracious...

exalting Himself in our eyes...

by blessing us with mercy...

when we have come to the end of ourselves...

If we refuse to wait on Him...

He will wait on us...

until we are ready...

to receive His grace...

Which are you more familiar with...?

the blessing of waiting...?

or the futility of running...?