Wait on the Lord

Isaiah 30:1
“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD,
“Who take counsel, but not of Me,
And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,
That they may add sin to sin;

How often have I been a rebellious child of God?... not willfully, but ignorantly? How often have I considered my own plans and sought the council of men rather than God? How often have I failed to seek the Spirit and stumbled into darkness? How often has my good intention turned into sin?

Isaiah goes on to talk about how Israel strove for self preservation by fleeing their enemies and seeking protection from foreign lands instead of standing firm and faithful in Israel waiting on the Lord to protect them. In a sense they jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

Then in verse 18 Isaiah writes this:
" Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him."

What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
For Israel it would have meant standing firm and faithful in Jerusalem instead of fleeing to Egypt for help. It would have meant fearing the Lord more than their enemies. It would have meant believing and trusting in the providence of God rather than silver and gold. It would have meant living in the Spirit rather than the flesh, seeing with spiritual eyes rather than natural eyes.
For me it means believing in the promises of God more than conventional wisdom. It means trusting in the providence of God rather than my bank account. It means learning to rest, to slow down and pray rather than work. It means learning to live with less so that I might experience more. It means living for today knowing that God holds tomorrow. It means listening to the Spirit rather than my gut.

Lord - teach me to wait on You. Break my rebellious spirit so that I don't multiply sin. Teach me to patiently rest and wait in You. Strengthen my faith and grant me greater trust. Amen.