But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace — Psalm 37:11 (KJV)
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it — Psalm 37:34 (KJV)
It has been the lofty goal of millennia: rule over the whole earth. Whether it is dictators of the past or globalists today, there is the idea that to have universal peace and prosperity, there has to be economic, political and spiritual union. These utopian notions are as old as time but they overlook the most important thing: unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1). Every attempt to conquer and rule the world has failed spectacularly because they overlook God Himself. Every attempt to build this ‘perfect world without God’ has resulted in tyranny, dictatorship, warfare, and worse.
So logically, if we are going to have a world of peace and prosperity, we need to partner with God. He is coming to this earth to establish a kingdom that will never be removed. Psalm 96:13 says that God is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and truth.
Every time the ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ is recited, we are asking for God’s kingdom to come and His will be done ‘on earth’ as it is in heaven. Yes, the kingdom is coming to earth because the King is coming!
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord — Psalm 27:14
MEEKNESS DESCRIBED
We have already learned in Parts 01 and 02 that they people who inherit the God’s earth are the ‘meek.’ These are people who focus on God, His grace, and His purposes, while forgoing personal rights, vindications, entitlement, and agendas. The meek have strong, quiet, graceful determination to plough through life in order to fulfil God’s will for their lives. They dive over distractions and overlook opposition. In this regard, they are greatly empowered by God. They are too preoccupied with the Kingdom of God to be drawn down by the undertow of this world. Such ‘meekness’ is actually spiritual empowerment, because as the meek individual decreases, Christ in them, the Hope of Glory, increases. Christ in them inherits the earth with them.
Do not say, ‘I will recompense evil;’ Wait on the LORD, and He will save you — Proverbs 20:22 (NKJV)
Psalm 37 reiterates the promise of the meek inheriting the earth, just as Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:5). Yet this psalm gives us an important angle in both demonstrating meekness and gaining the inheritance. It is found in verse 9ff:
…but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
In that simple phrase, ‘wait upon the LORD,’ there is a powerful and practical key to meekness. In our ever-busy, materialistic, and often dysfunctional world, the last thing we have time to do is ‘wait on God.’ Our collective sense of immaturity, and the impatience that exemplifies it, makes ‘waiting’ all the more difficult. Yet, for the spiritual discerning and empowered, they know that ‘waiting on God’ is the key for breakthrough, miracles, and promotion. Indeed, those who ‘wait on God’ will not fail to get to the next level.
So what does it mean to ‘wait on God’ and how do we do it?
My soul, wait though only upon God; for my expectation is from him — Psalm 62:5 (KJV)
Perhaps the best way to describe it is an active seeking of God’s face in an attitude of humility and faith. The individual acknowledges that God is the One who knows and has everything they need. There is also a confident expectation that God will respond positively to the diligent seeking of the believer. Instead of looking to one’s own resources or to other people, the meek person who ‘waits’ looks to God … and God alone … for the answers.
HOW TO WAIT ON GOD
The ‘how to’s’ of waiting on God? There is ‘passive waiting,’ meaning that you have done everything you can and now it is up to God. So you patiently, gratefully, and expectantly look to and wait for the Almighty to do His work, at the time and place of His choosing. You diligently avoid impulsiveness, especially the notion: if nothing is happening, I’m going to make it happen! ‘Waiting on God’ helps you discern and implement the ‘God-Idea,’ rather than defaulting to the home-cooked, man-made ‘good idea.’ Only the God-ideas work.
Then there is ‘active waiting.’ This is both part of your regular devotional ‘quiet time’ (you do have regular ‘quiet time’ with God, don’t you? If not, blast a hole in your schedule and make some time. You will never be future-ready, let alone inherit the earth, without devotional ‘quiet time’).
Whether part of your regular devotions or a special time of seeking God, the key ingredients include:
1. Bible: Refer to it, quote from it, meditate on the promises of God that come your way, and meditate on it;
2. Prayer: Have a time of prayer, either as a block or interspersed with your Bible reading;
3. Praise and worship: This is the language of faith, so do so regularly and liberally;
4. Thanksgiving: Philippians 4:6 and I Thessalonians 5:18 makes it clear; this is God’s will for you;
5. Silence: On occasion, wait silently before God and allow Him to speak to you;
6. Fasting: If you are healthy, abstain from meals in order to have the time and consecutiveness to reach God. There is a simple reason people fast: they need to wait on God. Second reason: it works!
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me —Micah 7:7
Keep waiting until you hear from God and get your marching orders.
Following these simple steps, consistently and fervently, is guaranteed to change your life.
So do you need direction? Provision? Breakthrough? Healing? Big answers to big prayers? Answers, full stop? Then look no further – the throne-room of grace is open to you (Hebrews 4:16?) to come and wait on the LORD. For as you do so, both as a regular practice and special emphasis, you will not fail to get to the next level. Now is the time!
I will praise the for ever, because thou has done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints — Psalm 52:9 (KJV)