Waiting

Exodus 24 (ESV)

12 The LORD said to Moses,

"Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction."

13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.

14 And he said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we return to you.

And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them."

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.

16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days.

And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD

was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.

18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain.

And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

wait there

on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud

Why did Moses have to wait? Why did God call on the seventh day, and make him wait six days? Why do we have to wait?

I think in these days of instant access and communication, it is especially important to remember God's timing. He stands outside of time and space, but time and timing is very important to him. The Bible repeatedly says "the time is not yet" or "the hour has come". It is an essential part of our obedience and humble submission to God to wait on his time.

Psalm 123:2

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.

Waiting reminds me that:

I am not in charge.

The general, not the private, gives the order to "Attack!"

I don't have all the information necessary, to determine the timing- nor the ability to process it correctly if I did have it.

This is not "my show", my project, or even my life. I am a foot-soldier in a vast army. I must seek first God's kingdom purposes, and my personal needs will be provided for.