Near to the Heart of God

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” Psalms 130:5-7

Every now and then I go through a dry spell. Words don’t come and I sit at my computer waiting for inspiration to hit me. I jot down a few ideas. I read a few quotes. I open up the Bible and say a prayer. Then I think, “It’s got to be soon”.

But sometimes nothing comes, and I can’t avoid publishing a blog any longer. So, I slowly type one word, then another, and soon there’s an article – the product of pushing forward when I didn’t “feel” like it. I think maybe that’s what it’s like to wait on God.

Waiting on God sometimes looks like putting in the effort, for what feels like little return in the moment. But Scripture promises that if we continue to wait, good will come. There’s not only reward in heaven for those who continue to cling to Christ during “dry” spells, but there is life-giving strength and joy to be found when we continue to cling to God’s Promises today.

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” Psalms 119:50

After our last miscarriage, I didn’t even know what it meant to “wait on God”. But as time went on and I learned to put one foot in front of the other, I began to see why the wait was good: It offered me clearer glimpses of God: Christ my comforter and Friend. The Holy Spirit, my Helper. God, my loving Father. The Savior who redeemed me.

This is what waiting on God does. It opens our hands to trust Him and our hearts to behold Him a little more. We learn to long for our eternal home because that’s where Jesus is. We realize how little this corrupt world can offer us and our appetite for holiness becomes insatiable, unless we go to Christ.

Waiting drives us away from our sin, away from ourselves, and deeper into the arms of God, where we experience true rest. That is why, when we finally come to the end of this often weary season, we say, “It was worth the wait.”

There are so many areas in my life right now where I am waiting, and I must confess, I feel a bit worn. But as I recall God’s past faithfulness, as I draw near to my Savior and learn His ways, I see His heart – which is only good.

Slowly I learn. I grow. I find peace. Amid the waiting, I will one day see the sun break into dawn. This season will be over; but the precious hours of closeness shared with Jesus and the lessons gained will be as sweet, if not sweeter, than the end of the wait.

For I have found no better place in all the world, than near to the heart of God.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11

© Grace Baeten 2022