Preserved,
As We Wait On God
Are you waiting on God for something?
I suspect that almost everyone (if not all), who believe
in God and trust in Jesus, are waiting on God for something.
On Facebook, each morning, I post a prayer for our
children and grandchildren. Each post involves praying God’s Word over our dear
ones.
One recent prayer, using Psalm 25:21, goes like this:
“Father, I pray that integrity and uprightness will preserve my children as
they wait on You.”
The psalm says, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve
me, for I wait for You” (Psalm 25:21 NKJV).
As I typed the prayer and prayed it for my own children
and grandchildren, I paused to consider the meanings of each word. Those are
some penetrating words!
What happens when we wait on God? Some of us have been
waiting for years—lots of years—for God to do a specific thing. While we wait
it’s easy to get impatient or discouraged. Our faith may begin to wane or we
might even decide to take matters into our own hands to help God along.
Consider what happened when Abram and Sarai (Abraham and
Sarah) decided to help God with their childlessness dilemma. To this day the
consequences of their impatience are felt throughout the world.
We’ve heard it said, “Patience is a virtue.” Let’s expand
that: “Patience is a character-building virtue.” That’s much like what our psalm says.
Integrity and uprightness are both commendable attributes
of one’s character.
The Hebrew word for integrity is defined as completeness or moral innocence.* Uprightness in Hebrew means straightness, often referring to
choosing to walk on the straight and narrow path.**
The Hebrew word for preserve is natsar, pronounced naw-tsar,
and means to guard, protect, maintain. “The word refers to people maintaining
things entrusted to them, especially to keeping the truths of God in both
actions and mind.”*** In other words, the work of God’s character, reflected
in people, is preserving them.
King David’s words, “Let integrity and uprightness
preserve me, for I wait for You,” were a small part of his plea to God in Psalm
25. At the time he was petitioning God for forgiveness of sin and deliverance
from enemies for himself and for the nation of Israel.
So, as I pray this verse for my children and
grandchildren, I also petition God for myself and my country:
“Oh Lord, let moral innocence
and walking the straight and narrow path be our guard and protection as we keep
the truths You’ve entrusted to us and as we reflect Your character to preserve
them while we wait on You. In Jesus name—Amen.”
As we wait on God—whether for 30 minutes or 30
years—let’s ask Him to help us maintain His kind of integrity and right living
in the meantime. In the end, our faith and patience will bring good results.
Your comments are welcome.
Link to the
Facebook prayer mentioned above:
* ** *** Hebrew-Greek
Key Word Study Bible, Old Testament Dictionary; AMG Publishers; *p. 2067;
**p. 1898; ***p. 1958
©Connie
Wohlford 2016
