Isaiah 40:31 KJV
31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Many times we have read this verse of he scripture, we have laid emphasis on the EAGLES. We have talked about the eagles and described the powers and the qualities of the Eagles. We have talked about the “Eagle Believers” and the strength of the sight of the Eagles. We have all desired to mount up with wings as the Eagles.
However, the Lord God helped me to see something else from this verse, completely different from all I have seen before.
“They that wait upon the Lord…”
Those who desire renewal of Strength, all those who would mount up with wings as eagles. All those who desire to walk the walk of life without fainting; and those who want to run with their visions without fainting…ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED TO DO JUST ONE THING: WAIT UPON THE LORD.
Have you ever tried to understand the difference between the phrases: “WAIT FOR THE LORD…” and the “WAIT UPON THE LORD”?
“Waiting for the Lord..” means waiting till He shows up, or till He answers you, or till He comes to your rescue to help. However, “Waiting UPON THE LORD” means entirely something different. On many occasions in the past, I have mistakenly substituted “Waiting Upon..” for “Waiting For..”.
The Bible says: if you are a child of the Lord and you want RENEWAL OF STRENGTH for your dwindling spiritual power and want to KEEP MOUNTING HIGH IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE; and you want to continually RUN WITH YOUR VISIONS without fainting; and you want to KEEP WALKING ON YOUR MINISTERIAL JOURNEY WITHOUT GETTING WEARIED OR DISCOURAGED.., then, the only thing you have to do, is WAIT UPON THE LORD….not “Wait For the Lord..”
NOW WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Have you ever been to an high class Restaurant before? When you enter the Restaurant and sits down: – Who first come to you? THE WAITER. He or She comes to you and TAKES YOUR ORDERS. You tell him or her whatever you want and he or she must do exactly what you ordered him or her to do. What you order him to bring he brings. What you say want to eat, he brings it to you. HE TAKES YOUR ORDER AND SERVES YOU.
The Waiter stands on his feet, while you remain sitting down. He continually answers “YES, SIR” as you talk to him. HE CONTINUALLY SHOWS RESPECT AND HONOR TO YOU AS HE SERVES YOU. While you eat the food, on one or two occassions, he would come back to you and ask:
“Anything else you want me to do for you, please? Anything else you want me to bring for you , please? Are you enjoying your meal, please?” In some restaurant, the WAITER stands by, at a corner nearby, watching ou as you eat, waiting for any instructions from you or waiting to run any other errands for you to make you comfortable while you are inside that Restaurant. THE WAITER will not leave you until you have finished eating and left the Restaurant.
Have you not seen situations where the Client or Costumer in restaurant placed an order for the Waiter and the Waiter comes back to the Client with something else the man never asked for? Such man too is a Waiter. Have you not seen instances of waiters not being dedicated to their duties enough? Asking for cold water, and the waiter bring very hot waiter. Placing an order for Fanta, coming back with Sprite.
Asking for Vegetable soup, coming back with okro soup. Sending him to bring napkin, and spending 20 minutes to come back with it and walking sluggishly each time you send him on an errand. Such person in the restaurant, is also a Waiter. But such waiter will never tarry for long in that restaurant.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
If you desire to mount up with wings as Eagles, and you need power and strength to keep running with your Visions, YOU WILL NEED TO WAIT UPON THE LORD.
YOU WILL NEED TO WAIT UPON HIM IN HIS VINEYARD RESTAURANT.
YOU WILL NEED TO STAND UP BESIDE HIM CONTINUALLY.
YOU WILL NEED TO COME TO HIM WITH YOUR PEN AND PAPER TO WRITE DOWN HIS ORDERS.
YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE DOWN HIS ORDERS AND GIVE HIM ALL WHAT HE WANTS CONTINUALLY.
YOU WILL NEED TO SATISFY HIM AS THE CHIEF GUEST IN THE VINEYARD RESTAURANT.
YOU WILL HAVE TO BE SMART AND QUICK IN DISPATCHING YOUR DUTIES AS YOU SERVE HIM.
YOU WILL HAVE TO BE FAST IN RESPONDING TO HIS ORDERS.
YOU WILL HAVE TO WRITE HIS ORDERS DOWN IN A PAPER OF YOUR HEART, AND SERVE HIM WITH IT .
YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE HIM EXACTLY ALL WHAT HE WANTS.
AND YOU WILL NEED TO SERVE HIM WITH JOY AND GLADNESS OF HEART, SO THAT HE COULD COMPENSATE YOU AFTER YOUR SERVICE.
Don’t forget that you are asked to “Wait Upon the Lord” and not “Wait For the Lord” To wait Upon the Lord is to Wait in His Service; standing by Him as He sends you on various errands. And as you run each errand with all urgency and faithfulness, you recharge your inner batteries and activate your inner strength.
You want more Power for Service? You need more strength to fulfill His purpose without getting wearied? You want to run with your visions and mount up with wings as Eagles in His Service? ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS LEARN TO WAIT UPON HIM. then, you will have power and strength to RUN, WALK or MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES.
And that is how to Wait upon the Lord, for the Renewal of Strength and Power to WALK, and RUN, and FLY.
Does anyone remembers this song?
“They that wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their Strength
They shall Mount up with wings as Eagles
They shall run and not be wearied,
They Shall walk and not faint,
Teach me Lord,
Teach me Lord, to Wait. ”
Source: Evang. Mike Bamiloye
Aphorism CITY 