CHAPTER 20
about the altars, and in the work of God, which is like new life to the soul.
We come away from the closet of prayer and house of God with the feeling that we have been renewed or made over again.
Another promise is that we “shall mount up with wings as eagles.”
The disciples took a great heavenward flight on the morning of Pentecost;
but it was no accident. They had paid a great price for the privilege; they had waited ten days in the dust for the joy of putting the clouds under their feet.
Fletcher had upward soarings of religious experience, which many are fond of quoting, but not of imitating. Anyhow they will not pay the price he paid for his aerial ascents, which was four hours each day spent in prayer.
Some discuss with great gravity and scholarly acumen these wonderful uplifts in the kingdom of grace. They try to locate and then describe it in the realm of psychology, when the explanation is to be found in
kneeology. A protracted waiting upon God will always be rewarded by the gift of a pair of wings. There is no shadow of a doubt upon the minds of observers when a Christian gets them. All can see he is mounting, and know he is far above the crowd that is standing by, gazing after him.
The experience of wings lifts the soul suddenly far above obstacles which just a moment before seemed insurmountable. The experience also gives a wonderful view of terrestrial things, God’s works enlarging and man’s works looking exceedingly small. Such caught-up people have also blessed things to tell us of Christ and His Kingdom. They seemed to have been near the Gates of Pearl. Let no man condemn them who never had a pair of wings given to his soul after days of importunity.
A third promise is, we “shall run, and not be weary.” Have we not seen these people? They are always going for God, going swiftly, and that without seeming to be exhausted. They make no complaints, seem to have no dyspepsia or nervous prostration, and all they crave is the privilege of running for heaven. This man does not say so much about visions and views and great revelations; he is too busy running for God, delivering His messages, charging the enemy, executing flank attacks as well as front movements, picking up the wounded, distributing lint, making constant captures, and doing many other things too numerous to mention.
A fourth promise is, that we “shall walk, and not faint.” It is placed almost last as the result of waiting on the Lord; but it is not less blessed than the other two, and may be even more important.
In these words a great multitude of the quiet, patient, faithful followers of Christ are presented. Men in the treadmill of everyday work, women in the toil and drudgery of home life. People so circumstanced that they can not run, but have to walk. So many hours for labor, so many mouths to fill, so many little garments to make, so many little ones to teach, so many small duties to perform.
When men with handspikes uplift a great log, they do not run, but walk, and with a slow, steady motion. There are some situations in the Christian life, and some duties where we can not run, but are compelled to go
slowly. The load is heavy; it requires patience, deliberation, and steadiness, and will not allow swiftness. Thank God that heaven has a blessing for these quiet-lipped, grave-eyed, life-burdened followers of Jesus! We can walk through all, and not faint. It comes by waiting on the Lord.
An additional promise to the man who waits on the Lord is, that “he shall inherit the land.” In another place David says, “He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.” The figure is one of complete deliverance, perfect victory, and quiet establishment. Enemies are removed, ownership and mastership is given, and peace reigns supreme.
This last promise is made to the man who will wait on the Lord in the sense of tarrying for the Divine providence, or giving God His own time to do for us what we have asked and He has promised. It is a mark of great advancement in spiritual things when a man can do this. Many try it and break down; but some go to the end. Happy is such a man or woman of God. They shall be repaid and blessed beyond words to describe.
Some of us are marvelously inconsiderate here. We forget that when we ask God for certain things He has to deal with others as well as ourselves, and always with free agents. He can not compel any one, but has to work with them in full recognition of their moral freedom.
The angel told Daniel, in explanation of a delayed message from heaven, that he had been withstood by a certain Prince, and hence prevented from coming.
It is a reasonable thing to wait on the Lord. It is what we want others to do for us. Sometimes we can not explain ourselves; sometimes our plans are working, but the consummation has not come. So we ask people to wait on us. If they love and trust us, they will. In like manner we pray God to bring certain things to pass. At once He starts the influences which are to prove successful; but it takes time. Many hearts and lives have to be touched and changed. Then God has plans of His own, which we do not see. He has to work them out, while at the same time He does not forget us, our past prayers, and present waiting before Him. Beyond all question He is doing His best for us. His answers and deliverances are on the way to us, struggling through human and Satanic opposition. Be patient a little while longer, ye heartsick children of God. It will yet come to pass, and you shall inherit the land.
The man of desperate acts takes things in his own hand. The suicide took matters in his own hand. The people who flew to the wine-cup, the morphine-bottle, to the world, and into sin, would not wait on God.
The papers speak of a man who committed suicide on account of poverty.
The next day a large remittance came by mail; but he was in his grave, and had placed himself there.
It pays to wait on God. Joseph looked at a closed prison-door for years.
Doubtless his heart often sickened; but he waited on the Lord. One day the door opened, and Joseph not only walked out free, but was exalted to rule over the land.
John Wesley had a curse in his life. He neither committed murder nor suicide, as some men have done under similar circumstances. He waited on the Lord. The time came when the Lord completely delivered him.
One day in California, while sitting in a restaurant, I heard a man call for his dessert and a cup of coffee. The waiter tarried a little too long, he became impatient jumped up, stamped out, and slammed the door. Just as the door closed behind him, and his feet were on the pavement, the waiter came in, bearing a delicious dessert and a fragrant, steaming cup of coffee.
We have often since then thought of the simple scene. It was a parable in itself in spite of its simplicity.
The Lord keep us patient, faithful, steadfast. May we believe in, and rely on, and wait for Him! He has not forgotten us. Angels are on the way with nectar and ambrosia. Above all, God is coming with deliverance and
blessing and honor and exaltation, and says meanwhile for our comfort that even now all things are working together for our good if we but love Him.