Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10 (cf. verses 4-5); Mark 1:9-15
Title: Red Light - Green Light
Actively Waiting on God
King David shares with us what to do while we wait on God
I. Waiting can lead us to some great Revelations - verse 4
II. Waiting can lead us to some Great Growth in God - verses 4 - 5
III. Waiting can lead Us to Practice Active Followship - verse 5
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God our Father and from His Son Jesus Christ who came to take away the sin of the world!
One of the strangest things I think any human being is asked to do is to wait at a stop light when there is no one else on the highway. Most of us have been in that situation. It's late at night or very early in the morning. We come up to a stop light and its glowing red. We obediently come to a stop. It is what we have been taught to do. We sit and wait. We begin to wonder how long it's going to be before the light turns green. We know that research says that the average length of stay at a red light is less than two minutes but hasn't it already been at least two or three minutes? It sure feels like it's been like four or five minutes.
Those two minutes can seem like eternity. We begin to look around and wonder what harm would it do if we just drove on? I mean there is no one around for hundreds or even thousands of feet. Would the world come to an end if we just drove through the red light? Would the sun stand still and the moon turn to red? Would God call out from Heaven telling us to stop?
We all understand the reason for a red light when there is a great deal of traffic. It is still aggravating, but, we know that is one of the best ways to make sure traffic flows evenly. But it just seems foolish to be sitting there wasting time and gasoline when there no one else around. I mean shouldn't there be a way for the traffic light to adjust to the flow of traffic? Shouldn't there be a way for the traffic light to sense that we are the only one around and just give us the green light? Perhaps in the future there will be smart lights like there are smart phones, smart thermostats and such.
According to the British newspaper the Telegraph, the average driver in the urban areas of the UK spend 20% of their driving time waiting for the lights to change. That means on the average around 12 minutes a day if a person drives 30 minutes to work and 30 minutes back home. That adds up to about an hour a week just waiting for the light to change.
It's great when you are driving through a town and hit the sweet spot. You know, those times when you hit every green light down the road. You think that you are in heaven. You don't have to slow down, you don't have to put on the brakes, you can just enjoy motoring down the roadway. But then there are those other times that seem more like Hades on Earth. Those are the times that it seems like every 10 feet you hit a red light. You go, you stop, you go, you stop, you go and you stop. It seems like it takes forever to get anywhere.
Wouldn't it be fun at times to have a little light that we could flash and suddenly the light turns green for us? But then again if we were able to get one of those lights pretty soon everyone would have one and it would be more of a mess than ever. The truth is we already live in a world that is at times very confusing, chaotic and difficult enough. At times it is even dangerous.
Our Psalmist this morning wants us to help us learn some lessons in the art of waiting. Not passive waiting where we are just stopped but what I believe he would call ACTIVE WAITING. Waiting that can help us learn how to live a better life. Waiting that can make a positive difference in our lives and in the lives of others.
Now, of course our psalm writer didn't have to wait on red lights or people in front of him at the grocery store. He didn't have to wait for service at the DMV or in the line at a fast food restaurant during peak time.
But he did live in world very much like our own. He lived in a world that was under the curse of sin. He did live in a world that was out of balance, that was at times very confusing, chaotic and dangerous. In fact, the rabbis tell us that Psalm 25 is a psalm written by King David during the time of his son Absalom's rebellion.
You may remember that King David's son Absalom had spent a great deal of time (around four years) undermining his father authority with the intent one day of taking the throne away from his father. We find the whole story starting in 2 Samuel 15 and ending in 2 Samuel 19. It's a dark story in the history of Israel that ends with Absalom being killed by Joab and David falling into a deep pit of grief and depression.
But it's in the midst of all that drama that the rabbis tell us that David penned this psalm. Overall, it is a psalm of prayer, penitence, trust and waiting. A psalm that reminds us that while we wait on the LORD there are some ACTIVE THINGS that we can be doing.
When you study King David's life you get the distinct impression that David had a great many times when he was on the mountain top but also a great many times he was in the valley. It seems like King David had the type of personality that would go like crazy, stop for a while, get into trouble and then come to its senses, repent and then start again on the straight and narrow. As you read his story you see this pattern happening over and over again.
David wins a battle and rejoices beyond measure. He then forgets that the victory came about because he was in line with the Lord's will. Then David does something foolish. He finds himself in hot water. He confesses and repents. He then starts again and does his best to do better. David is one of the greats in the Bible but he is also very human with a great deal of brokenness and human frailty. David is someone that we can learn a great deal from if we want to not only avoid some pitfalls but also learn how to get out of the pit as well.
This morning, I would like for us to focus our attention on verses 4-5 as David shares with us some ACTIVE THINGS we can do while we wait for the Lord. Some things we can do as we wait for God to act on our behalf and for many of us while we wait during this Lenten Season for the Season of Easter.
In some ways the season of Lent is like stop lights that don't make a lot of sense to us. Why do we have this season in which we are to stop, wait, reflect, discover, think, meditate, Detox ourselves, reformulate good habits, add new ones and all that stuff? Why don't we just continue on going through green light after green light after green light until we come to the Season of Easter?
Well, because like David there are times we need to slow down, stop and wait. We need time to wait on the LORD. We need time to wait for His Direction. We need time to wait and understand that someone greater than us is in control. We need time to wait and understand that we are not autonomous; a god unto ourselves but part of a greater whole called the Body of Christ. We need time to wait and obtain divine revelation, teaching and direction instead of merely relying on our own faulty human wisdom.
So, what are we to do while we wait? What are we to do while we wait on God? What can happen for us while we wait?
I. Waiting can lead us to some great Revelations - verse 4
David fully understands that the LORD doesn't want us to simply zone out while we wait. The Lord doesn't want us to become mindless zombies who just exist and feed on others. The Lord doesn't want us to once again become primordial ooze that just lies around waiting for someone or something to spark it to life.
No, in verse four David says "Yada Derek Jehovah" - SHOW ME/HELP ME TO KNOW - GOD - YOUR ROAD, YOUR PATHS, YOUR COURSE of LIFE. REVEAL YOUR PLAN TO ME O GOD.
David understands that he has gotten off the path. Things all around him are in total chaos. One of his very own sons has not only rebelled against him but is hunting him down to kill him and take his crown. One of this very own sons who he held in his arms as a baby, whom he helped learn how to walk, to talk and to eat on his own was now determined to make sure that his father never breath air again. One of his very own sons wanted to tear David's heart out and nail his body on the wall of some gate proving to everyone that he was greater than King David and that now he would be sitting on the throne instead of King David.
David knows that he either missed or ignored all the signals. He knows that somewhere he went off track. He knows that as a father, as a husband and as a man of God he has drifted off the path so much so that his own house was rebelling against him. He knows that had he taken the time to wait on God and listen to God then the LORD would have been able to save him from all this trouble and in the end save the life of his son.
How many of us can agree with King David? How many of us have struck out on own our own without spending the necessary quality time with the LORD and found ourselves in a mess? How many of us thought we knew everything and although we had the counsel of a few friends, we didn't take the time to wait on God's answer and as a result we didn't make the best of decisions?
Notice David's little advice to us at the end of verse 5 - "for you I wait all the day long."
Not go off half cocked. Not go off half-baked. Instead, to wait for God to answer no matter how long it takes.
And that is the rub isn't it. Waiting on God. At times it seems like the longest red light in the world. We are ready. We have studied. We have our proof texts. We asked everyone's opinion. We got our plans. We ready to go - NOW. But as his son King Solomon would over and over again remind us:
"All one's ways may be pure in one's own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit, commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established." - Proverbs 16:2-3
Along with that the Prophet Haggai gives us this advice:
“I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer.” (Habakkuk 2:2 NLT)
You know who had this down pat? Jesus - God in Flesh.
Our Lord Jesus comes to earth. For 30 something odd years he works with his father, he studies Torah, he listens and absorbs and waits. He waits and he waits. He waits around 11,000 days, 263,000 hours or 15.8 million some odds seconds. He waits until he learns how to eat by himself, until he gets out of diapers and until he learns how to walk. He waits until he learns Torah, until he is old enough to take care of himself and until he hears from His Heavenly Father that it is time. He waits but he isn't brainless or motionless. While he waits, Jesus learns and he allows His Father to reveal the path he is to walk and to follow.
And what do we see him doing during his last 3 1/2 years on earth? He waits for Nicodemus to fully understand the revelation of the New Birth, He waits for the Woman at the Well to understand and receive the revelation that He (Jesus) is the Messiah, the Living Water that she and others need. He waits for His disciples to fully understand the revelations and the teachings He shares with them through His parables, His quiet times with them and His sermons. Jesus never seems to be in a hurry. He is not late. He is not ahead of schedule. He is always on time. He always waits for His Heavenly Father to reveal His plans and then He gets going.
Jesus prays and waits in the Garden of Gethsemane. He waits as the forces of evil gather together to condemn him. He waits as evil condemns him to death on the cross. He waits and endures pain and suffering on the cross until the Father says come home. He wants for His Heavenly Father's revelations.
And you know what Jesus got in all that waiting - the right revelation, the right path to walk, the right course to take and the right way to live here on this earth as the most genuine human (and divine) being to ever grace our planet. He waits - His Heavenly Father Reveals - and He Continues on the Right Path.
Yada - Know, Show Me, Reveal To Me. The only way we can ever know what God wants us to do is to spend some quality time with the LORD. We need to learn how to wait so we can hear God's whispers. We need to wait in the Word so that we can hear the leading of the Holy Spirit.
If we want to know the path we need to walk - it will only come through waiting for God to reveal His plans to us.
II. Waiting can lead us to some Great Growth in God - verses 4 - 5
"Teach me your paths" - verse 4
"and teach me" - verse 5
The Hebrew word King David uses here in these verses is LAMAD. Lamad means "to teach" but also "to learn". In the Hebrew culture, a teacher has not taught unless the student has also learned. The goal of teaching and learning in the Hebrew culture is not exclusively the accumulation of data, the memorization of that data or even how to manipulate that data. Instead, the goal of teaching and learning is in the transformation that is to occur in a person's life. Since all learning and teaching is ultimately to be found in the LORD, true knowledge occurs when one is transformed by the LORD from the inside out.
This teaching, this learning and this transforming process is seen to be everlasting. It is to never end on this side of eternity. And many like John Wesley strongly believed that it would continue on throughout eternity. They believed that "lamad" would take place anywhere God and man could share sacred time and space.
For God's People, lamad (teaching and learning) is not something set aside for the very young. They believed that it was impossible to cram everything one needs in just a few years. It is foolishness to think that in a matter of 10 - 20 years that a person can learn all they need to follow God the rest of their lives. Lamad takes a life time. In fact, they believed that the best lamad, the best teaching and learning happens during one's most mature years. That is why for the Jews, one never quits learning about God, knowing God or receiving God's revelations and insights.
Now, let's pause to take all of that in. Waiting on the LORD can lead us to experience new revelations. Waiting on the LORD also can lead us to enjoy life long discipleship. Waiting on God can lead us to a lifelong adventure of learning and being transformed by God's Own Holy Spirit. Waiting on God can lead us to learn how to enjoy the wonders of God in new and wonderful ways.
In Proverbs 30:18-19 King Solomon shares with us:
"Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
The way of an eagle in the Sky
The way of a snake on a rock,
The way of a ship on the high seas,
And the way of a man with a woman
What King Solomon was trying to tell us is that knowledge, wisdom, discernment and understanding are so vast that there is more than we could ever learn in the short life span that we have here on earth. So, we better pay attention to what is most important.
And what is most important David reminds us is learning from the LORD.
J. I. Packer one of the great minds of theology of the 20th and 21st century said these two quotes:
"Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life problems fall into place of their own accord."
“Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.”
You and I will waste our time here on earth unless we learn how to be a Jesus disciple. There is no greater gift that we can give ourselves or our children and grandchildren than to learn how to be Jesus' disciple. For in becoming the person God wants us to become we will be the reflection/signpost that God needs here on earth for others to see His Glory and Honor.
King David was no tailor's dummy. If you have ever done an detailed study on his life then you know how knowledgeable this man was on the areas of health, finances, business, agriculture, husbandry, management, government, education and world affairs. And yet, above all those things he put his discipleship of God his #1 priority. David believed that if a person knew God then everything else would fall into place.
David studied what it took to be a good king. He did his homework when it came to being a good leader for God's People. But in doing so he did not neglect what it meant to become an authentic human being who would reflect God's image and glory. He did not abandon a life of spiritual discipleship. He had lapses to be sure but in each case we read how David confessed, repented, refreshed his life and then continued on towards being a person after God's own heart.
This Lenten Season is an excellent time for us to spend some time looking at our life as a disciple of Jesus. In his little book, "Surprise the World" author Michael Frost reminds us that our discipleship is best done by developing good "habits" that will in turn help shape our values and beliefs to reflect God's glory and honor.
Our Lenten experience is therefore to be more than a period of spiritual dextoxing or spiritual cleansing. It is a time when we can learn once again the extreme value of waiting on God - waiting for His revelations and using that time of waiting to actively learn and develop into a better disciple each and every day of our lives. Lent is a time for us to be able to dedicate some quality time to read, study, pray, meditate, celebrate, enjoy times of silence, solitude and simplicity. It is a time for us to refresh and renew our commitment to our Savior and LORD. It's a time to expand our knowledge and our relationship with our LORD and Savior.
III. Finally, Waiting Can Lead Us to Practice Active Followship
I don't think Followship is a word - but it should be. Actually, I looked it up it up on dictionary.com and found it that "followship" is a word. How about that? It means -
"the practice of doing what other people suggest, rather than taking the lead"
Now, immediately we want to qualify that definition of followship. You have to know who to follow. Who you follow will determine who you become. Great leaders know who to follow. Authentic human beings know to follow the LORD.
David knew who to follow. In verse five we read:
"Lead me in YOUR truths"
Five simple words - Lead Me In Your TRUTHS - Meaning of course - GOD - LEAD ME IN YOUR TRUTHS/PATHS
Not - I will lead God. Not - Please follow me as I become the leader. Not - My plan is better than other plans so sign up to come to my conference, read my book and use my programs.
In full humility, David gives up control and becomes a follower of God. He wants God to direct his Paths. He wants God to be the Leader and he pledges to follow in God's footsteps. This should not surprise us. In Psalm 23, David made it clear that as a good sheep he would always follow the leadings of the Good Shepherd. He would let God be in control of his life. He would walk with God along the paths of life that God was leading.
Notice again this is not a passive waiting. This is not "be still" and become paralyzed. This is not "be still" and turn into stone. This is active waiting for God to say go and then being ready to go. This is being emotionally, socially, mentally, physically and spiritual ready to walk with God as He journeys with us in this life. This is active waiting that follows God as He leads down this path, up that ridge, down that valley and once again up on that mountain top. This is spiritually having your sandals covered in God's dust.
In their wonderful book, SITTING AT THE FEET OF JESUS, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg talk a little bit about the idea of being covered by the dust of your rabbi's feet. The idea is that while you sit at the rabbis feet you find your robes and your tunic being covered a little with their dust. Coupled with that is the idea that as you and your rabbi travel from place to place that by following closely behind them that the dust that is stirred up by their footwear swirls up behind them and covers the bottom of your robe/tunic. Good disciples were to always be covered in their rabbi's dust. It meant that they were following closely to their leaders.
Take that idea and pin it with this passage. When David prayed that God would Direct/Lead him in the truth the idea was that David wanted to be so close to the LORD that the Lord's dust would cover David's feet, footwear and clothing. David wanted to follow the LORD - He wanted God to open the paths, to show the way and to lead the way.
In essence he wanted God to tell him what to do. Here was King David telling the King of the Universe - You lead - I Follow. You know the right way to go. Wherever you tell me to go that is where I will plant my feet.
We all know that David was a take charge type of individual. He was a Type A to the max. I mean, who else goes out to kill some bears, lions let alone a giant warrior? Who else is able to stand toe to toe with King Saul, the Philistines and others that wanted to chop his head off a time or two? Who else is able to take a bunch of loosely knit tribes that have been doing their own thing for a couple hundred years and form them into a powerful nation?
And yet, here is King David bowing the knee to the LORD. David knows who he is and he knows who God is. David knows and acknowledges that God is the true Leader and King of the Universe. David knows who should be leading and who should be following.
After penning this psalm we know that David is able to regain his throne. He still has some important lessons to learn but is that not the case with everyone of us? We all need a little help at times at being good followers.
The dirty little secret is that at times we very much like being in control. We like having our own little kingdoms where we get to control this little area of space and time. Or at least we think we like to do those things. We like to give the impression that we have everything under control and that our sails are blowing quite nicely.
But the reality is more times than not we are just happy we got through the day. And we are really happy that no one called our bluff or asked to see behind the curtains of our lives. More often than not like the Wizard of Oz we are not some big powerful entity but instead a cowering mass of humanity. We talk a good game but we all know that we are not quite as smart, as put together or as holy as we let on at times.
David dealt with hubris at times. He knew very well how to wear the clothes of arrogance, conceit, pride, self-importance and superiority. He also knew all too well that such clothing could lead one to experience brokenness, sin, losing one's innocence, family and even position. He knew that following his own lead would always lead him back to a state of defeat, despair and depression.
But he also knew that when he followed God's path he was able to slay giants, he was able to dance in the Spirit of the LORD and he was able to prepare the way for God's Holy Temple. He knew when he waited on God and allowed God to reveal His will, to teach him new things and to lead him down new paths that in the end he and his people would prosper more and more and be in line for more of God's anointings and blessings.
It all starts with waiting. Waiting and anticipating that God will reveal Himself to us. Waiting and working on growing in grace, mercy and love. Waiting and allowing God to teach us and enable us to be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually transformed. Waiting as we take one step after another behind the LORD as He leads us along the paths that He wants us to walk.
As we close this morning -
+How are we doing in the waiting department?
+Is waiting for God something that we have down pat? If you do, then rejoice and pray for the rest of us.
+Are we open to new revelations from the LORD and are we receiving them?
+Are we growing in the LORD where we can see a difference and others have told us that they too can see a positive difference in our lives?
+Are we making a positive impact on the lives around us?
+Are we walking in God's paths or merely near God's paths?
+Have we surrendered ourselves and become followers of Jesus?
Today, as we close let's sing that great old song - "OPEN MY EYES" and let's allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Let's allow the LORD to be present around us and be in control of this part of our worship.
As we sing, our altars are open. Today, if you need to confess, repent, grow closer to the Lord or just want to spend some time in prayer, intercession or just soaking up God our altars are open. As we sing, you are invited to come in obedience and love.
Prayer/Open Altar
