For since the world began
no one has seen or heard of
such a God as ours,
who works for those who wait for Him.
Isaiah 64:4 (TLB) [1]
"People who were bound by habits and attitudes that they thought they could never be rid of have had their lives turned upside-down by Jesus! It is an amazing thing to see a face that has known only fear and frowns burst into a radiant smile washed by tears of delight when Jesus enters the heart. When was the last time you saw God doing something so awesome that you just couldn't help but tell people about it?" [2]
How well do you know God--this God--who "works for those who wait for Him?" This God who turns a life upside-down? This God who brings a radiant smile and tears of delight to a face that has never known joy?
I read a definition of patience just the other day: Patience: Trusting God's timing. That's hard to do, isn't it? We are prone to say, "If He is working He is certainly taking His time about it!"
But it just could be that we don't know what is in God's "job jar". We know that we have pushed our needs into the jar'what we think He ought to be about. Isaiah did that. He says, "Return and help us for we who belong to You need You so (63:17). And you read between the lines and just know that he is saying, "I mean NOW, Lord. Not in two days or two weeks or two years! Now!" We look around at people who are suffering, hungry people, hurting people, enslaved people and we can't understand God's timing. We can't see what He is working on and doubt that He really is working. We want to say with Isaiah, "Help us, Lord! We need You now!"
But God IS working and He is working for us--did you notice that in the Scripture? He is on our side! I need to remember that He is FOR me. Yes, we are living in enemy territory and the ruler of this world sanctions suffering, heartache, fear, evil, and cruelty. He actually brings it about! God has not dedicated Himself to freeing us from these hazards. No. His vision is far greater than freedom from the hurts of this world. He has dedicated Himself to freeing us forever from any pain or suffering!
God has a vision. He has undertaken a massive assignment. He has a dream to fulfill--and He is WORKING to bring that dream to pass. His passion is intense! What is His plan? Can I see it? Can I understand it? Yes! He dreams of reconciliation. He yearns for reconciliation. He wants us to be with Him. God was IN Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19).. So when a "face that has known only fear and frowns burst into a radiant smile washed by tears of delight when Jesus enters the heart" God smiles and says, "Welcome home dear child. You are free forever. The two of us have been reconciled."
God cares. He hates this world that brings about such pain and heartache and its ruler, Satan.[3] But He knows that His dream will ultimately free us eternally from this world where "we who belong to You need You so much."
Lord, help us to really see what you are doing I think I see, but I am hindered by my earthly perspectives and limitations and even when You perform some awesome wonder I still ask, "But why are You not working like I asked You to? I need You now." Well, I think I see but I don't really see, do I? But I'll wait, Lord. for since the word began no one has seen or heard of such a God as ours, who works for those who wait.
Who else but God goes back and forth to Heaven?
Who else holds the wind in His fists,
and wraps up the ocean in His cloak?
Who but God created the world?
If there is any other – what is his name –
and his son's name – if you know it?
Proverbs 30:4 (TLB)
