Season of Waiting
The sermon emphasizes the importance of waiting on God, trusting in His guidance and timing, and maintaining hope even in the midst of uncertainty.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the importance of waiting on the Lord, drawing parallels from the story of the ancient knight who paused to have his horse re-shod before fleeing from his enemies, ultimately hastening his escape. He emphasizes that God often calls us to wait and fully recover ourselves before moving forward in our journey and work, highlighting that there is no time lost in these waiting hours. The sermon encourages patient, hopeful, and expectant waiting for God's guidance and timing, assuring that His purpose will be revealed in His perfect timing.
Text
"And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness...an angel of the Lord...saying....now come, I will send thee into Egypt" (Acts 7:30-34).
Often the Lord calls us aside from our work for a season, and bids us be still and learn ere we go forth again to minister. There is no time lost in such waiting hours.
Fleeing from his enemies, the ancient knight found that his horse needed to be re-shod. Prudence seemed to urge him on without delay, but higher wisdom taught him to halt a few minutes at the blacksmith's forge by the way, to have the shoe replaced; and although he heard the feet of his pursuers galloping hard behind, yet he waited those minutes until his charger was refitted for his flight. And then, leaping into his saddle just as they appeared a hundred yards away, he dashed away from them with the fleetness of the wind, and knew that his halting had hastened his escape.
So often God bids us tarry ere we go, and fully recover ourselves for the next stage of the journey and work. --Days of Heaven upon Earth
Waiting! Yes, patiently waiting!
Till next steps made plain shall be;
To hear, with the inner hearing,
The Voice that will call for me.
Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!
With hope that need not grow dim;
The Master is pledged to guide me,
And my eyes are unto Him.
Waiting! Expectantly waiting!
Perhaps it may be today
The Master will quickly open
The gate to my future way.
Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
I know, though I've waited long,
That, while He withholds His purpose,
His waiting cannot be wrong.
Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
The Master will not be late:
He knoweth that I am waiting
For Him to unlatch the gate.
--J. D. Smith
Sermon Outline
- I. The Call to Wait
- A. The Lord calls us aside for a season to be still and learn
- B. Waiting hours are not lost, but rather a time of preparation
- II. The Importance of Patience
- A. Prudence may urge us to hurry, but higher wisdom teaches us to wait
- B. Waiting can hasten our escape and prepare us for the next stage
- III. The Hope of Waiting
- A. We can hope that our next steps will be made plain
- B. The Master is pledged to guide us and open the gate to our future way
- IV. The Certainty of God's Timing
- A. God's waiting cannot be wrong, even if it seems long
- B. The Master will not be late, and will unlatch the gate when the time is right
Key Quotes
“There is no time lost in such waiting hours.” — Charles E. Cowman
“The Master is pledged to guide me, And my eyes are unto Him.” — Charles E. Cowman
“The Master will not be late: He knoweth that I am waiting For Him to unlatch the gate.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We should learn to wait patiently on God, trusting in His guidance and timing.
- Waiting can be a time of preparation and growth, rather than a waste of time.
- We can maintain hope by keeping our eyes fixed on God and trusting in His promises.