We often think of waiting as something we do passively and inactively. We wait in line at the DMV, we wait for a bus, we wait in the doctor’s office or the dentist’s office. But when the Bible speaks of waiting for the Lord’s return, it is not speaking of being inert and passive. In today’s devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef explains the concept of Biblical waiting.
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[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the Daily Devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading The Way.
[00:00:08] Actively Waiting by Dr. Michael Youssef
[00:00:12] We often think of waiting as something we do passively, inactively.
[00:00:17] We wait in line at the DMV. We wait for a bus. We wait in the doctor's office or the dentist's office.
[00:00:24] But when the Bible speaks of waiting for the Lord's return, it is not speaking of being inert and passive.
[00:00:30] Biblical waiting is active and productive. Those who wait for the Lord's return are a blur of activity,
[00:00:37] and their actions are focused on serving God and others. Those who wait for the Lord are busy witnessing,
[00:00:43] serving the poor, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and comforting the afflicted.
[00:00:50] In Luke 19, Jesus tells the story of a nobleman who leaves his servants in charge while he goes on a trip to a far country
[00:00:57] to be appointed ruler of the kingdom. This nobleman who represents Jesus expected his servants to work hard
[00:01:05] and put his resources to profitable use. There was only one servant the nobleman punished when he returned.
[00:01:11] It was the servant who waited passively and achieved no profit.
[00:01:16] Waiting and serving go hand in hand. If you're truly waiting for your Lord to return,
[00:01:21] and you want to hear him say, well done, good and faithful servant, then make sure you're actively waiting,
[00:01:27] actively serving, actively doing God's will as you wait. Let's pray together.
[00:01:34] Father, we look forward to Your coming kingdom with joyful anticipation, motivated by the thought of eternity with You.
[00:01:41] May we wait actively. Use us to minister to the loss, faithfully using every opportunity You provide
[00:01:48] to share the good news for the growth of Your kingdom. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.