Don’t Hate the Wait Be Patient

Luke 2:22-38

Between Malachi and Gospel is a Wait of about 400 years. Now Daniel would have known prophetically when the coming of Messiah would have been.
Jesus Presented at the Temple

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 ja light for revelation to the Gentiles,
And for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four (sixty plus years).5 She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Oh the wait of Anna and Simeon.  But while most of us are in a hurry, it seems God is usually not in a hurry. The Scriptures say He is slow at going about things. It seems He always has a plan and a purpose for everything. The problem with waiting is not having all the details. From our perspective, we have everything figured out and we want God to move within our timeframe.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The good news is that God never asks us to wait without Him

Waiting is a part of life and one of God's tools for developing people.

What to Do While We are waiting?

1. Reach out and connect to other believers. Do not alienate yourself—you need their support.
That is where the enemy will want us alone. Full of unbelief. Thinking that no one else is going through these problems been at the place at the place I have been. We would be wrong!!
I need you to encourage me and you need me to encourage you. While we are waiting.

Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

2. Keep busy. No standing around, swatting flies with your tail. Do something. Do what you know to do. Continue in the word, reading, worshiping, connecting, and telling.

3. Pray, pray and pray some more. Join hands with God. You'll be better able to feel the gentle tug on your bit when He begins to lead you to your next destination.

Act 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

There is something about waiting on the Lord that will move you toward prayer or away from prayer. The goal of waiting is to prompt prayers. To cause the people to pray. Not to discourage you but to encourage you into his chambers. Waiting on the Lord.

4. Wait on God. It would look like you are not doing something, but actually you are getting to know him. Focus on His nature, His marvelous attributes, His person. Learn to experience and appreciate his presence, not what He can do for you.
Waiting on the Lord requires patient trust

• Waiting means that we give God the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he is doing
• Waiting reminds me that I am not in charge
• Waiting is God's way of seeing if we will trust him before we move forward

Middle Eastern view on time would be the past, present, and future were all being. The ancients had time to wait. God’s promises were true.  God’s view of time is always being. He is the beginning and the end. We occupy such a small space in time that the bible compares it to just “a breath,” and its gone.

Our view of time. We have a little bit so use every ounce. Do everything. Accomplish everything. Tackle the World. Do more. Have a clock on your cell phone with a Calendar that tells time. In fact keep time on that sermon because we want to be out of here by 12.  And we occupy such a small place on this rope for all of time. And we may be going through some bumps but we have eternity.

Eternity to live. Forever multiplied.

Don’t Hate the Wait. Be patient.

Enjoy being a child.

Enjoy being in school and not having to pay bills.

Enjoy college and the time you have to learn.

Enjoy your singleness, your married without kidness, your married with kidness, your not being in the new buildingness. Enjoy waiting on the Lord. Love the process!!

Don’t Hate the Wait. Be patient.