O
LORD, have we waited for Thee!
“Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee;
the desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee.”
Isaiah 26:8
In the place where God’s Word is proclaimed; where the Lord Jesus
Christ manifests Himself in the preaching of the gospel is where the
desire of the souls of the children of God is… waiting with anticipation
of hearing of Him. The hearing of the gospel brings Him to our remembrance
and stirs our souls to worship. This the child of God diligently,
joyfully seeks - “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go
into the house of the LORD” Psalms 122:1. The nominal,
casual professor has no real heart or craving for Christ and finds
every excuse that he can to try to justify absenting himself from
the public worship of God. He tries to blame Providence or lays the
blame at someone else’s door. The fact is, everyone does pretty much
what they want to do (except when Providence does indeed make it impossible)
as the means and opportunity is provided. We are found at the dinner
table when it is time for the evening meal. So are those that hunger
and thirst after Christ found gathered together feasting upon Christ
when it is time to hear the gospel. I fear that many have arrived
at the doctrines and yet have never come to Christ. As God has given
every living thing a desire for food, He has given all of His people
a desire for the Bread from heaven. We know the food is delicious
because of Who it is that beckons us to come and sit down at His table
- “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine” John 21:12.
I believe that the Psalmist spoke for every awakened sinner when he
said, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple” Psalms
74:4. The most pleasant, peaceful, satisfying place on this earth
for the believer is with other believers worshipping Christ their
Lord in the preaching and hearing of the gospel. May God in grace
and mercy give us an insatiable, perpetual hunger for Christ and His
gospel!
Tommy
