"I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry. 
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD. "   (Psalm 40:1-3)


My Pastor preached this text on Sunday.  I've read it a hundred times, but never seen in it the patience of Christ, a picture of which Pastor Sabella so eloquently painted in his sermon.  I have seen, in this text, the love and faithfulness of the Father, who heard His Son's cry and answered.  I've seen the vindication that was promised and brought to pass on Christ's behalf by His Father.  But, those first 6 words are powerful and telling.  When did vindication come?  Even for Christ, it came after patient waiting on God.  Should vindication come any sooner for me? May it never be!

So, why was Christ able to wait so patiently on His Father to 'make things right', to bring about the promised vindication and glory?  Also, why am I unable to wait patiently for God to hear my cry?  If you had asked me these questions a week ago, I would have answered, "Because He's God, and I'm sinful flesh!"  That is true, but only half the answer.  Jesus was patient -- is patient -- because He KNOWS His Father's promises, and He has perfect faith and trust that His Father will bring them to pass.  Jesus'  faith, and our faith too, is rooted deeply in the knowledge of God's promises and trust in God to bring them to fruition perfectly in space & time..  When we fail to know God's promises, and fail to trust His ability to fulfill them, then we cannot wait with any sort of patience.  In fact, we do the opposite.  We fret, worry, cry, feel sorry for ourselves, pout, even get angry. 

While Jesus has complete knowledge of the Word, "the Word" is also one of His names.  This is because He embodies the promises of God.  Of course, He also embodies the perfect holiness, justice, goodness, truth, sovereignty, mercy, grace (and much more) of God.  Back to the promises though ... many of those promises are yes and amen in the very person of Christ.  "For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us."  (2 Corinthians 1:20)  As a believer, I have alien faith and righteousness.  My faith and righteousness come from none other than Jesus Christ.  Therefore, I can look to the patience of my Saviour as the perfect example.  As His patience was rooted in His Father's promises and sovereign goodness, mine must be as well. 

Simply enduring trials will not prove to increase my patience.  On the contrary, my faith (and therefore patience) will surely increase when, through the trials of life I'm drawn by the Holy Spirit into the Word, where God's promises are written.  Then, as I internalize the promises therein, and see His faithfulness to bring them to pass on behalf of many who walked in faith before me, I gain a more firmly rooted trust in God's sovereign goodness.  I know, trust, and can therefore wait paiently. 

Patience is the fruit born of trust.  As my Pastor said, "Patience is casting oneself onto the promises of God in faith."

When God grants that we wait patiently on Him, and He proves faithful to His promises to us, two things happen, according to v. 3.  First, we are given a new song of praise to sing to the Father in response to His faithfulness.  Second, others see our patience followed by God's action, which brings about fear in their hearts.  Since fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, that fear brings forth the fruit of trust in the Lord.  Hallelujah!  [Conversely, I despair to think what happens in the hearts of onlookers when I fail to wait patiently on my God.  Praise God that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:1)  Otherwise I would wallow in despair over my unfaithfulness.]

Oh Lord!  Thank you for revealing these beautiful truths to my heart!  Thank you for my Pastor who has shone a light (an Elzetta light, that is...) on this text for my encouragement, and that of others as well.  Please draw me ever deeper into Your Word, that I may drink of Your rich promises and grow to trust You so perfectly that I may wait...patiently as my Christ did.  Oh, to sing in chorus with Him that song of praise to You!