7月12日

標　　題：等候主

經　　節：要等候耶和華！當壯膽，堅固你的心！我再說，要等候耶和華！（詩篇廿七章14節）

等候是一件最難的事，我們總想作行動者。倘若有所行動，我們的心會覺得好受得多，然而，等候迫使我們倚靠神。大衛學習等候的真義。他在年少時，被神膏選為下一位以色列王，然後花了許多年等候神的話語實現。當他等候的時候，一個猜忌心重又自私自利的國王，正霸佔著要應許給他的王位。大衛不是躲在洞穴裡，就是住在他的敵人當中。當他等候的時候，他親眼看見好朋友們被謀殺，他的家人與所有財產都被奪走。他看到以色列的敵人蹂躪自己的同胞。也許再也沒有一個人像大衛一樣，在等候神的應許時遇到那麼多的逆境。大衛一定懂得甚麼是沮喪與懼怕。

然而，大衛享受到自己等待的報償。他成為以色列歷史上最偉大的國王，更重要的是，他經歷這些考驗後，變成一個合神心意的人。大衛在逃亡時所寫的詩，在曆世歷代被千萬人所珍愛。彌賽亞是大衛的後代。大衛願意等候的心，成為我們所有人的祝福。

等候神的時候，可以成為你生命中最寶貴的時刻（約翰福音十一：1∼6）。如果你正在等候神，讀讀以賽亞書四十章31節，這段經文可以讓你在等候神成全祂的應許時，得到激勵。

Wait on the Lord

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalms 27:14)

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We want to be people of action. We feel better if we are doing something to address our need, but waiting forces us to rely on God. David learned what it meant to wait. He was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel, then spent years waiting for the day God’s word would come to pass in his life. As he waited, a paranoid, egocentric king occupied the throne that had been promised to him. David spent his time hiding in caves and living among his enemies. As he waited he saw good friends murdered and his family and possessions taken. He saw Israel’s enemies wreak havoc on his nation. Perhaps no one ever faced greater adversity while waiting upon God’s promise than David did. He certainly understood what it meant to become discouraged and fearful.

But David also enjoyed the reward for waiting upon the Lord. He became the greatest king in Israel’s history, and, more importantly, through his trials he became a man after God’s own heart. The psalms David wrote during his days as a fugitive have been cherished words of encouragement for millions of people through the ages. Through David’s descendants came the Messiah. David’s willingness to wait has blessed us all.

Times of waiting on the Lord can be some of the most precious moments in your life (John 11:1–6). If you are waiting on God for something, read Isaiah 40:31 and find encouragement as you wait for Him to fulfill His promises to you.