Psalms 61-62; 64
I wait quietly before God, for my salvation comes from him. – Psalms 62:1 NLT
Where does your salvation come from? Or better yet, where do you think it comes from? For the answer to those two questions, consider where you turn when things get tough. When you run into difficulty where do you tend to run for help? Your checking account? Your own intelligence? Your problem-solving skills? Is the remedy you seek earthly or heavenly? If we're honest, most of us would have to admit that we have a lot of sources of salvation in our lives. Or at least we think we do. Even though most of them fail to deliver what they promise or what we expect, we keep going back to them – hoping that they can protect us and provide for us what we need.
But David said he was going to wait quietly before God, because he knew that his salvation was going to come from Him and nothing else. Look at how many times he made this point in Psalms 62 alone:
"I wait quietly before God, for my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken." – Psalms 62:1-2 NLT
"I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me." – Psalms 62:5-7 NLT
David's hope was in God. Not in money, success, popularity, prosperity, fame, or fortune. David was a man of action. He was a military leader and a warrior. He was not afraid to go into battle or make a decision, but he was learning to wait on God. Impulsiveness can be a costly temptation for the believer. In our desire to get out from under pressure or escape trials, we can be tempted to take matters into our own hands. The enemy doesn't want us to wait, he wants us to act – impulsively and independently. He wants us to be our own gods, our own saviors. But a big part of worship is submission and dependence. God gets glory when we rely on Him. He is honored when we look to Him for shelter and protection. Trials and troubles are often nothing more than opportunities to trust in God and honor Him with our admissions of need for protection and salvation.
But as David was learning, a big part of trusting God is sometimes learning to WAIT on God. No demands. No dictating what you want done and when. A big part of trusting God is relying on Him to make the best decision and provide the best timing. He will do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. The more we lean to trust Him, the more we will find ourselves rejoicing in Him, because God is always faithful. "The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him" (Psalms 64:10 NLT).
Father, I am not the most patient person in the world. I am impulsive, reactionary, and prone to take matters into my own hands. Difficulty tends to make me respond impulsively. I want the problem to go away. I want to get out from under whatever is hanging over my head. But You want me to learn to trust You, to turn to You, and to wait on You. May I learn to see trials as opportunities to see You work. May I see difficulties as reminders of my need for and dependence upon You. I am weak, but You are strong. I am needy and You are abundant. May I learn to wait on You, because You alone are my true salvation. Amen