I Will Dwell In The House Of The Lord

Wait I Say On The Lord (Psalm 27:1-14) Wait for the Lord; be stronga and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14) Are We There Yet? A question I heard many times, as our family embarked on our very first assignnment as missionaries to Canada's First Nations People. We ledt Saskatchewan on December 4 and arrived at our destination 4 days later, in the far north in the Yukon. I as the father will never forget that trip. There were the six of us, my wife and four youngsters, the oldest being around 10 and the youngest 2, Are we there yet? The long, cold, icy road to the north called the Alaska Highway, we long at times very steep and as we wound our way towards the Yukon, we knew at the end of this trip we would arrive at a new world for our family. Any parents that have travelled with children the age our were at the time will be familiar with the pleading question from the back seat and sometimes from the front seat, :ARE WE THERE YET"? And in the different tones that thr question came, and at times it came in a way that became very annoying. It would come in the most whining tone of voice possible. You've heard it, you say it. "ARE WE THERE YET". In Psalm 27, David speaks of learning to wait on the Lord. If we have given our lives to God and have started our lifes journey towards heaven, we too, likely often say, Lord, are we there yet? We like David, vave faced our enemies, from bullies, to adults who want to stop us from what we have been called to do. Davids example here is to focuse on God instead of the challenges we are facing at the time. With God as his “light” and “salvation” and the “stronghold of [his] life,” he had nothing to fear (Psalm 27:1-3). Because of Davids relationship with God he knew God would keep him safe—“out of reach on a high rock” (v.5). Even in the unlikely event of being abandoned by his parents, who were supposed to protect him, David confidently trusted that “the Lord will take care of me” (v.10). God would deal with the difficulties and dangers just as a human father would for his child. Just as I protected my family on theat Northern trip to the Yukon, of which there was amny obsticales we had to face. Well, here the psalmist invites us to “be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (v. 14). To wait for God is to put our trust in Him. We affirm with David, “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield” (33:20). I must say, over the years we spent in the Yukon, we learned this lesson. Many yime we had too wait on the Lord, for His answers.. As our youngest got carbonmonoxcide poisioning and almost died, we had to wait on the Lord, to bring him back to us, and I am happy to say, God answered prayers that night. He is a string young man today, raising his own family. Yes, Like an excited child wondering when we would reach our hew home,and as they asked many times over those four days, "ARE WE THERE YET"?” We as believers in God and in the promises HE has made us, can become very impatient and may be askibg the same question, as we face many trials in this world we live in. "ARE WE THERE YET? We can get impatient and anxious to arrive at our next destination which, whether Jesus returns to take us home, or God decides its time for me to go. Also, even as we wait for God to move in our lives, or to rescue us from our trials, can be challenging. David was facing much adversity, which he mentions throughout Psalm 27. Yet he still placed his hope and trust in God and waited for Him to respond. David didn’t know how long it would take for God to act, but he knew God would help him. “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (v. 13). Wow, I believe I have said, or thought those words many times over the years, It may take longer than we’d like to experience our breakthrough, but let’s take courage in these words: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (v. 14). As we turn to the Psalms and the rest of Scripture for encouragement, we can take comfort in knowing God is working even while we wait. Sometimes we do not see the Lord working in our situation, or in the peoples lives we are ministering to, but I encourage you to wait on the Lord, be diligent in what He has called you to di, because He promises that His word will not return to Him void. "Isaiah 55:11" Lord, often I have asked you this question in my life time, "why is it hard sometimes to wait for Your answers to my prayers? Lord Jesus, help me remain faithful all the days of my life and to remain hopeful as I wait on the Lord. As I wait for answers to my prayers and for the coming of the Lord? Lord, as I wait, help me to continue on in the work the Lord has called me to, that I may one day here my Lord say, "well done"! As I am on this trip, this journey, Help me continue to wait on the Lord, for YOU are my strength. Lord Jesus thank You that You’re working even while I wait. Help me do my part, and be willing to wait for you to do Your part. In your name I pray AMEN