Actively Waiting

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. —Isaiah 64:4

In the first few verses of Isaiah 64, we find some of the conditions for God to come and move among His people. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. However, we want things to work the opposite direction—to act first and hope God will wait for us. But God says, “No. I will act when you wait for Me.”

When we use the word “wait,” we tend to use it as a passive term, like we’re waiting for our next vacation. But the term “wait” in Hebrew is an active word. It means “to adhere, to tarry, to long for something.” God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him, who cling to Him, who say, “God, I’m not letting go until You come and hear and answer.”

The end goal in waiting is not to gain any of God’s blessings. It’s just God Himself. “You act for those who wait for You.”