Jesus Waited Patiently, You Too

Study: #702-Church in the Houses From: October 18 – 24, 2011

TOPIC: "Jesus Waited Patiently, You Too" Psalm 40:1-3 There were things that Jesus lived and that teaches us so that we can learn how to live our lives. We know that we have to tolerate, that we have to suffer, but remember that the more we learn from Jesus the more we will be able to conquer, just like He did. Learn and you will not fall! Patiently wait for Jehovah. Jesus waited patiently on God, His Father. One great feature of Jesus was to wait on God. Impatience never lodged in His heart; there were never words of impatience escaping from His lips. Not even in that great agony in the orchard, or in His judgment of cruel mockery before Herod and Pilate, or in His passion on the cross; He always waited patiently despite His power, of His omnipotence. We can’t find a glance of anger, no complaints, not even a whisper, or any act of revenge on behalf of the patient Lamb of God. He waited and kept waiting, He was patient, patient to perfection. Those who wait and have waited on the Christ of God will take the imperial crown. The patience of our Lord under the suffering was an element of perfection in His work. Had He been impatient like we do sometimes and discouraged, His expiation would have been poor. In the midst of all His temptations and the brunt of the battle against sin and Satan, He remained patient and willing to finish the work His Father had given Him. In verse 2 we are told about the pit of despair. Some wells referred in the Bible were dungeons. There were no openings in them except the hole on the top that served as door and window. The bottom of these wells was dirty and disgusting and sometimes full of mud. If the bottom of a well is empty and firm, one can stand on it without much difficulty, but if it is loaded with mud and mire, then you have to walk through the slippery mud and the trial is twice as difficult. This is how Jesus felt in the midst of His great struggles and battles; sometimes we also feel that we are in our pit of despair. The same God who delivered the Lord bringing Him out of the pit of despair is the one who delivers us and brings us out, but only with patience will we wait on the Lord as Jesus did. Psalm 40:3 "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." The enemy would like to remove the new song from our mouths; he wants to see us complaining and mourning. We see that in the Passover Jesus sang a hymn. Now, what is that song that is among the heart and rejoices forever? In all that Jesus suffered He reached justice exalted and the victorious grace; He was able to see Hell subjected and a glorifying Heaven; death was destroyed, sin overthrown and justice resplendent. We have many words for a new hymn when we join Him. Vs 3 continues, "Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." Many have seen, have feared, but it is necessary to trust the Lord and let go of all fears. Vs. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust. Faith reaches the promises. A simple trust always in God is a sure sign of blessedness. You can be as poor as Lazarus, as hated as Mordecai, as ill as Hezekiah, as lonely as Elijah, but as long as your hand of faith in God is secure, none of your external afflictions can prevent you from being named among the blessed. As we are warned in Vs 4, do not go to the rebels or apostates, or to the false teachers who are harmful yeast; the more distant we are from all of them the better. Blessed are those whom God preserves from the error in the beliefs and practices. The thoughts of God are for us. We cannot go behind the lies of the devil. Psalm 40: 5 "Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done.” There is no reason to be confused with the false brethren and false teachers if we are full of the wonders of God. How much peace has arrived in our lives when God has saved and healed! How many blessings, rewards and justices has God brought upon our lives!

Vs 5 continues to say, "and your thoughts toward us…" God’s thought is for me. God lives thinking about me, listening to me. I can be thinking or doing anything ordinary, but God lives thinking in me, listening to me, wondering on how to deliver me from all my difficult situations. When someone is thinking of harming you, surely they do not know that you are constantly in God’s thoughts and that He will deliver you from the worst plot and any evil intention from anyone. His wonders are great! Here we are understanding and being amazed that there is no one greater than Him whom we serve. Jesus waited patiently and God delivered Him and exalted Him at the highest; we as disciples of the Master will walk the same way and with our patience we will also be guarded, cared for and blessed by the Almighty God. Amen.