Streams in the Desert

Devotional For

May 21

      How To Wait
      
      "Blessed is he that waiteth" (Dan. 12:12).
      
      It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still.
      
      There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption?
      
      No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid.
      
      Wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him. Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry.
      
      Wait in quiet patience. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses. Accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of your covenant God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities; but I will wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. I will wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon Thee alone, O God, and my spirit waiteth for Thee in full conviction that Thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower." --Morning by Morning
      
      Wait patiently wait,
      God never is late;
      Thy budding plans are in Thy Father's holding,
      And only wait His grand divine unfolding.
      Then wait, wait,
      Patiently wait.
      Trust, hopefully trust,
      That God will adjust
      Thy tangled life; and from its dark concealings,
      
      Will bring His will, in all its bright revealings.
      Then trust, trust,
      Hopefully trust.
      Rest, peacefully rest
      On thy Saviour's breast;
      Breathe in His ear thy sacred high ambition,
      And He will bring it forth in blest fruition.
      Then rest, rest,
      Peacefully rest!
      --Mercy A. Gladwin