The Right Way to Wait on the Lord

And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.  And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.  -Genesis 8:5-7 (KJV) 

People will sometimes speak of the patience of Job, yet we do well to consider also the patience of Noah.  The Word of God says the rain fell 40 straight days flooding the entire earth.  After the rain ceased it took another 150 days for the waters to begin to recede.  Even then Noah waited another 40 days before sending out a bird to see if it could find a place to land.  No doubt Noah’s patience and faith were put to the test.  He had no choice, actually, but to wait on the Lord.  How he chose to wait, however, was indeed his decision to make.  He could have waited angrily, impatiently, and grown discouraged as he waited for the floodwaters to withdraw.  A mature, faithful, and godly response involves looking to the Lord and waiting on His will to be done in a faithful and enduring attitude.   

Again we see the power of 40 days.  Practice a good habit consistently, such as exercise, diet, or controlling your temper for a few weeks and you will no doubt reap positive results.  Put the behavior into practice for 40 days and you will not only see results, but also a change of heart.  Understand the Lord never does anything halfway; He expects the same from us, His followers.  Go into a new ministry, a new challenge, or a new opportunity with a half-hearted approach and we will yield a halfway result.  However, tackle the new challenge with all we have and we will see a positive and life-changing outcome.   

What is the Lord leading you toward today?  Could it be the Lord is calling you to a new ministry, a new opportunity, or a new area of service?  If at all possible, wait on the Lord and pray about this matter 40 days.  Seek the Lord in sincere faith and the answer will come during this sacred period.  You will also grow in faith, patience, and spiritual power.  It could be the Lord is leading you to spend more time in prayer and studying His Word.  Take up the 40 day challenge to arise earlier each day to seek the Lord and delve into His Holy Word.  The results will astound you. 

The Lord is calling His people to a deeper relationship and a closer walk with Him.  Seek the Lord and He will accomplish His will in your life.