“For thus the Lord said to me: “I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”” (Isaiah 18:4, ESV)
Here Isaiah gives an oracle concerning Cush. Cush is the area that broadly refers to the countries of the Upper Nile, south of Egypt. These were a mighty and feared people. We do not know much about these people or the prophecy from other biblical or extra-biblical information. We do know that at this time Assyria threatened Israel and that this group probably had imperialistic intentions as well. The complete prophecy concludes that Assyria will eventually experience defeat and that, in the future, Cush will bring tribute to the Lord at Mount Zion.
The point of this verse is that God is working providentially over these plans and that at the proper time He will fulfill what He has promised. It is a message to everyone, just wait and see. The Lord is watching quietly. He is not sleeping or unaware of the situation. He has a perfect time to fulfill the plans that He has laid out.
This principle has significant application for us. Throughout life, we will experience many situations where we will ask ourselves, “Where is God in all of this?” We may grow impatient in those situations. We may even seek to take matters into our own hands without waiting on clear direction from the Lord. The problem is one with which we all struggle. That is to wait patiently on the Lord.
These situations can be anything from a trial or tribulation that we are experiencing to a key decision that we must make. I find this particularly an issue in the church. Sometimes, we see things that we need to do or changes in the way we do things. It is so tempting to barge forward like a bull in a china shop and just implement the changes. However, while these changes may be the right things to do, it may not be the right time to make them. This is where patience is necessary. The Lord’s timing is perfect and mine in many cases is not. Therefore, I wait and pray, and watch to see when the Lord will unveil His plan.
For example, in changes that affect the whole church, I will look to see if the leadership is of one heart and mind in embracing them. Then I seek to understand if the parishioners in general support the changes. I will continue to watch to see how the Lord provides the resources in people and materials to affect the change. When it is time to make the change, we will find the congregation at large embracing it. This really is a matter of waiting on the Lord to provide and influence the attitude of people’s hearts. When He does so, it is time to join Him in His plan.
This particular practice of waiting on God is the same in every area of life. We must learn to pray and look to see where God is at work. Then we join Him. When we do it the other way around, we get the timing wrong. We get ahead of the Lord. Getting ahead of the Lord most often has lackluster and even adverse results, some of which can be severe.
Renewing the Heart 