In The Waiting Room

Introduction

• “ASAP culture”
  • “the moment we want it, we go for it”.
  • YOLO, FOMO
• Tendency to take things into our own hands, rather than waiting upon our Lord.

Background

• David anointed to be next King at 15
• Not told how and when he will be King
• Waited for 15 years
• Raised as musician, then armour-bearer, then trusted right-hand man
• King Saul deeply jealous, finds David a threat
• Sent David on the run for 4 years

1 Samuel 24

• 24:1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”
• 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
• 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
• 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”

Opportunity or Temptation?

• For David, it seemed like God is leading and it is only right for him to take the life of Saul.
• Unable to discern /obey the will of God of the selfish motives and desires in our hearts.
• Favourable circumstances do not necessarily mean God’s opportunities.
• David values God above his desires and the blessings as King, that is why he could turn the test of temptation into God’s glory.
• Do we seek God more or do we seek His blessings more?

1 Samuel 24

• 4 Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
• 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
• 8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
• 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
• 16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
• 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
• 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

• David – one who waits upon the Lord versus Saul – one who takes things into his own hands

How to wait upon the Lord?

• <Isaiah 40:31> those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

(a) Begins with a relationship with God

• Without a relationship, we will not see the value in our waiting
• In all our waiting, [the time with God] is exactly what we need.

(b) Builds our trust in God over time

• The extent David can trust and wait upon God is not through his one-time courage or not because David is full of faith, but because David had experience how faithful God was, throughout his lifetime
• (1) Trust God has a plan
• God definitely will not short-change us because He knows everything and we don’t.
• His plan is beyond our comprehension, but it always ends up in goodness for us and glory for God.
• <Isa 55:8-9> “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
• (2) Trust in God’s timing, not ours
• Many of us fail to wait because we were being held hostages of time.
• God’s concept of time is not like ours, and yet His timing is always perfect.

(c) Be actively waiting

• Practice active faith by doing what God tells us to do, while we wait on Him to do what only He can do.

(d) Brethren living

• <Galatians 6:2> Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.