Ah, waiting. We wait all the time, don’t we? Yet we’re not very good at it. There’s the annoying kind of waiting, like when my pedicure isn’t ready for real life yet. There’s the joy-filled kind, like the days leading up to Christmas. And there’s the raw kind of waiting, like waiting to be helped, delivered, or saved. That last category hits close. We know this kind well, don’t we? Waiting for the diagnosis or healing or reconciliation brings weariness. We know what it feels like when hope wanes.
But then we read this promise: “The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:25).
What does that verse do to your heart? Does it feel like thin hope and the Lord being good don’t go together?
Let’s look closer. In this verse, wait is qa.vah in Hebrew, which means “to wait, look for, hope.” A likely literal translation is to twist and stretch and bind together, as in making a rope.
As I read this verse, then, it seems that Lamentations is saying that He is good to those who “twist and stretch and bind themselves to” Him in the waiting.
God’s people knew what long-haul waiting felt like. They waited through years of bondage in Egypt. They waited through years of desert wandering. When making pilgrimages to Jerusalem, they would sing of deliverance and the hope of redemption with songs like Psalm 130, “I wait for the Lord; I wait and put my hope in his word…Israel, put your hope in the LORD…he will redeem Israel,” (v.5,7–8). They held promises from Scripture that, while their waiting would be long, their king would come and that His goodness would make them tremble (Hosea 3:4–5). They knew that with God there is faithful love and redemption in abundance (Psalm 130:7). They knew a child would be born to reign and that His name would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6–7).
And then here, in Lamentations 3, while mourning the destruction of Jerusalem, the writer reflected on what it means to wait faithfully, while staying bound to God.
So when Jesus was born, the hearts of God’s people had long been set toward the promise of a coming Messiah. Waiting with this kind of expectancy is how we hold hands with hope.
To qa.vah IS to hope.
In our own waiting seasons, even when the answers don’t come, we can attach ourselves to God. We can hold hands with hope in the waiting. When we don’t understand what’s to come, we can know that the Lord is good to those who wait for Him, whose souls seek Him. And as we celebrate this season of joy that He came, we can also hold hope for Him to come again. We hold the hope that He will stand and shepherd us, too, in the majestic name of the Lord His God (Micah 5:4).
To wait IS to hope. May we wait for God with God. Because with Him, there is redemption in abundance.
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88 thoughts on "God’s People Await Their Messiah"
He is good to those who twist and stretch and bind themselves to Him in the waiting! ❤️✝️
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Love the thought “to wait is to hope”
In my waiting and seeking, may I attach myself to my savior!
To wait is to hope ❤️ to wait with God is to be with God♡ he provides, sustains, and loves us through it all✨️
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Amen. I am blessed to have the opportunity to wait for Him, whilst the same time WITH Him. I pray that we all remember that He is holding us during our waiting. #blessed #waitwithGod
Wendy, praying for you. This devotional came at the perfect time, learning to lean in and take time to listen for me, has meant waiting for HIm, with Him, not running ahead but honestly waiting has been hard and yet so wonderful!
Thank you❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for the reminder… Waiting can be really difficult, especially when we do not know for how long. Thankfully we never have to do it alone as the Lord is always with us ❤️
Wendy, thank you for sharing in truth your struggles. I am so sorry the cancer has returned. I feel your pain and discouragement in your text. I will pray for Jesus to bring you unexpected joy in surprising ways. I will also pray that The Healer heals you quickly and for ever.♥️
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
“We now belong to God—all thanks to the promised Messiah. “For there is faithful love with the LORD, and with him is redemption in abundance”. Psalm 130:7. What Israel waited, watched, and hoped for we now have received: redemption. Do we live as those who have been redeemed, or are we living as those still waiting to be rescued?” (HRT)
Lamentations is saying that He is good to those who “twist and stretch and bind themselves to” Him in the waiting. (SRT)
What a great reassurance that we live in the time of hope in waiting, in belonging to God and yet, this question from HRT is a really hard one for me…..do I truly live in the freedom of Christ? This thought stood out to me as well, (also HRT) “It was apparent to them, as it hopefully has become apparent to us all, that people cannot escape the wayward pull of their hearts”. It is so easy to get caught up in the sin nature, to get subtly sidetracked and then realize our actions, decisions, choices, head, and heart are so far from where they need to be. It can be especially hard when we are waiting for things to change, for the answer to the prayer, for us to see God move. I have to say that I am struggling with a form of this in the season of life I am in right now. Its not in the form of some awful wayward or evil, sin; rather its being weighed down and discouraged, the attitude, trust and disposition of my heart in waiting. My joy is wearing thin and lacking. Without question, I am so grateful with the miracles the Lord has done in my life, for answered prayer and that He perserved my life, brought me back from deaths door and saved me. But the ongoing health issues, having cancer again and the “new version” of who I am in every sense of the word has just been so hard and I quite honestly, I don’t like this version at all – I look in the mirror and I don’t recognize her. i am waiting for things to be different; in my mind, its to be “better” And so, I an really struggling to live in the freedom of who Christ has called me to be in this season. In my head, I know I should be grateful, joyful that I am alive, and I really am, but goodness, my heart is SO discouraged and I feel like it has become my overall demeanor. I’ve had to sit in reflection of this today, posting this a bit later as I just need to let this all settle. I’ve heard a couple Advent topical sermons on waiting the last few days, and the podcast is so good as well.
Thank you Lord that “you are (He is) good to those who “twist and stretch and bind themselves to” Him in the waiting”. Remind me of this Lord, bind me to you and help me to be faithful and hopeful in the waiting. Help me to wait for you, with you, Lord. Amen
Wendy B I’m sorry to hear that the cancer has returned, I am lifting you up in prayer.
Thank you so much❤️
Thank you for sharing. Thank you for showing your faith.
“May we wait for God with God” is a great line. It’s too easy to let the anxiety overshadow everything and forget that yes— God is in the waiting with you too.
May we wait for God with God. I thought the same – this is a good line.
Wait for the Lord, for he is good and his love endures forever. Praise God for his salvation! Thank you Jesus!
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Help me to wait with great hope and faith Lord. Amen
Maybe we wait with God for God. Wow. What a quote!
Praise be for HOPE eternal in the wait
Waiting on God is hard, but Advent reminds me that my hope isn’t wasted because God is faithful and His promises always lead to comfort and joy ❤️
I need to remember this everyday as I am a impatient person! Let go of the control and let God
Waiting right now for testing and possible diagnosis for my dad. Perfect lesson today
I’m so sorry Molly, I’m praying for you and your dad
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Amen
Amen ❤️
Lord forgive me for not staying bound to you in Hope that all you promised will come to pass.
When I reflect on todays reading I think its worth going back a few more verses in Lamentations 3. The first 20 verses of the chapter the author begins by listing a large number of afflictions and then in verse 21 abruptly transitions: ““Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24).
If despite the trials of Lamentations 1 – 3:20 the author is able to profess is hope in the Lord how much more of a reason do I have to hope in the midst of my circumstances. Living on the other side of the resurrection I have every reason to hope!
Such good truth you pointed out!
Wait in hope for more people to accept Christ. ❤️
Waiting is hard and I love the reminder God gives me in Lamentations 3:26.
Thank you Marnie for a beautiful discussion of today’s readings. I will be reflecting on it. Waiting with hope.
After reading the devotional today, about waiting, and knowing the Gift was granted, the recipients rejected the Gift, because it was not what they expected, I felt the narrowmindedness of humans. Aren’t humans so funny? We wanted rescue, yet, by our terms and our ways. No others. The Israelites wanted a military leader, an emperor figure to come and rescue them. Not a carpenter’s son who was nailed on the cross and looked like a total defeat. They waited and waited, in exile, in mourning, and then God sent Help which they nailed. I remember a short story, a teaching story, of a man who was drowned in the water, praying to God to save him. So God sent to this stranded man a rowboat, and the man said no thanks, I am waiting for God, I have faith. Then another motorboat came, and then a helicopter went by trying to save him, he said no thanks, I am waiting for God, He will save me directly. He drowned and died, and went to Heaven and asked God, why didn’t you save me? God replied, I did three times, what more did you expect? Perhaps you you might have heard similar stories with variations. Question is, are we still waiting for God like this? In ignorance and in vain. Are we really still kidding ourselves when God already said “all of my promises are yes and amen through Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Truly, do we live as those who have been redeemed, or are we living as those still waiting to be rescued (from HRT)? Let’s look at the Israelites, rejection for Jesus came from their disappointment, not from His absence. Human wants rescue, but on their own terms. Jesus came to fulfil God’s prophecy/ God’s will, not human’s preferences. I knew someone who prayed and waited for a husband for years. One day, God sent a good man but wounded, and she rejected, and then another time, another good man but older in age, and she rejected, because she had her own list of preferences and qualifications (in reality, such man doesn’t exist). She waited and waited, and then one day, she repented in tears and she received God’s blessing of a husband and helped to build that man up through many years of struggles, and now they are happily married. Praise God for revelations and repentance (which means the change of mind). Salvation from God usually comes wrapped in humility, and not in grandeur. We need to change our mind and understand this. He sent a son born in barn with stinky animals, not in a palace or hospital with crews of doctors and nurses. Think about that. Unless we see, we will remain “stranded” and eventually drown. His help is often through ordinary means, and not dramatic miracles. He tests our hearts. Help has come, dear children of God. For us who are thankfully born on the other side of the New Testament, The Son of God has come. Grace has covered our missteps. I don’t think I would ever survive Old Testament times. Now, His Spirit is within you and me. The Spirit of Wisdom, the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead the same is dwelling within you and me. And if you believe, greater things than what Jesus did you can also do (John 14:12: I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father). Jesus has already come, and He has not left us helpless. Through His life, death, and resurrection, salvation has been accomplished, and through His Spirit, God now dwells within us. We are not waiting for rescue as though nothing has been given, we are called to live out what has already been entrusted to us. The last days are not meant to be lived in fear, passivity, or constant mourning. The Holy Spirit empowers us now to love boldly, to act justly, to serve faithfully, and to carry hope into a broken world. Waiting for Christ’s return does not mean sitting still, it means being found faithful, awake, and active. Do not overlook what God has already provided by fixating only on what is still to come. Christ will return in His time, but until then, His Spirit works through His people. This is not a season for withdrawal, but for obedience, courage, and quiet faithfulness. “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes” (Luke 12:35-36). “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his servants instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!” (Mark 13:34-37). “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Matthew 24:45-46). Be blessed dear sisters.
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing dear Mercy. ❤️
so good mercy! I wrote in my book, live securely? we don’t live securely, and immediately I thought, I bet people in other countries would look at my circumstances and think it doesn’t get much more secure than this. I also circled the come in awe, and thought but why do so many Jews still reject Jesus? and it was like you answered both of my booklet questions in one post ❤️ I have missed seeing the spirit at work in this community!
“The last days are not meant to be lived in fear, passivity, or constant mourning. The Holy Spirit empowers us now to love boldly, to act justly, to serve faithfully, and to carry hope into a broken world.
Waiting for Christ’s return does not mean sitting still, it means being found faithful, awake, and active. Do not overlook what God has already provided by fixating only on what is still to come.
Christ will return in His time, but until then, His Spirit works through His people. This is not a season for withdrawal, but for obedience, courage, and quiet faithfulness.” Beautifully said, Mercy! ❤
Wow thanks for sharing Mercy’s post CeeGee! I must have missed it it’s so great I had to take a screen shot :)
No joke… I was thinking of that story with the rowboat, etc. before I kept reading your comment! Again… I say, “No joke!”
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I am waiting, but what are MY expectations that need to be put aside?
Thank you Mercy❤️
Our sermon yesterday was on Romans 3:21-26. We can’t be made right by the law, BUT NOW (Tina) the story changes in verse 21. God has shown us a way to be made right. . “Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” And He WILL redeem Israel (Elaine) from ALL her iniquities. Praise be to God for His unspeakable gift. Jesus
Romans 3:24 NLT
I love that you put your name in there. Very wise.❤️
Maranatha.
Yes!!!
“…wait is qa.vah in Hebrew …“to wait, look for, hope”…to twist and stretch and bind together, (like) making a rope.”
LOVELovelove this interpretation & imagery!
Reminds me a bit of a pop song from the 80s. “Bend me, shape me, any way you want me, as long as you love me, it’s all right”.
Or like the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans…”be transformed by the renewing of your mind (body & soul)to prove what is good, acceptable, perfect will of God”.
In the darkness of Advent, wait for the Light that does not fail.
The Garbage reference is everything here.❤️
kellyciara right ??
This devotion is so good.
Again how has the waiting for the Savior to be born and us waiting for Him to return never struck me so strongly at advent before?
I think it is because I have this longing for His return that I never really had before. When we asked our kids in class, if you knew that Jesus was coming back tomorrow how would you feel? Lots of “excited” answers then Eli one of our deep thinkers said, I just want to be able to grow up though. Haven’t we all been there? But I can’t relate to that anymore. The darkness is heavy, how do we live in a time where you go to bed praying for students families killed during finals and wake up to the news of a mass shooting as you’re getting ready for church. All in less than 12 hours!! This is our reality right now. Evil. Darkness. But God…. One day it won’t be! And until then we must wait faithfully while staying bound to God. To twist and stretch and bind together as in making a rope. And boy does it feel like we are twisting and stretching… may we bind to you Father while we trust and hope and wait.
Put our hope in the Lord.
There is faithful love with the Lord.
With Him is redemption in abundance.
And He WILL redeem Israel from ALL its iniquities.
We hope while we wait, Jesus.
No word from God will ever fail! Jesus is here and God is good!
l agree Kristy..too hard sometimes, come Lord, come!! And we know it only gets worse, if indeed we are having birthing pains! oh to be caught up with him soon!
Waiting for God WITH God. So powerful and such a simple reminder. Ive been in many waiting periods and I finally feel at peace with where I am but I have many friends and family in that waiting period. Sometimes I think we go through periods of waiting and hoping to help others through their seasons. Happy Monday praying for you all
yes, so true Kimberly!! And it’s great that you are in a season of peace!
Yes I agree Kimberly. We do go through seasons of waiting so that we can share with others in their waiting and hoping.
Marnie Hammar, thank you! Great image of how hope works in our life.
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From HRT this morning: “Why is it that those things that torment us often become something like a security blanket for us?”
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We grow comfortable with that which torments us and loose the will to be free of it. Satan is indeed the Deceiver. I meand just saying this sound so utterly ridiculous yet we easily fall into his snar.
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LORD have mercy on us.
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SEARCHING-praying the little one with RSV turns a corner for the better soon. Praying the parents are strengthened in the waiting.
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TRACI GENDRON – thanks for the update on your grand nephew, praying for his complete healing.
Today is the day that my grandma (my moms mom) goes under for her procedure. I know some of you are prayer warriors. I’m hoping she makes it out alive.
Hold hands with hope for a successful outcome
Praying now for your grandma, Caroline.
Praying for your grandma
Agreeing in prayers that she will live and proclaim the miracle of God in her life. Be strong. Just believe.
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Waiting and patience always seem to go hand in hand. I have never done either well! It’s one thing to wait, but to be patient in the waiting takes it to a whole other level.
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Right now I find myself in yet another season of waiting. After reading what Marnie explained about qa.vah, I desire to twist and stretch and bind myself to God in the waiting. Only He can provide the strength and patience to do so. That is my prayer for today.
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Song share: While I Wait, Lincoln Brewster
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May each of you feel the love and warmth of Jesus today, especially on this cold, cold Monday morning in NJ! ❤️
Oh yes,so true! And good song for today!
Thank you Jesus for the hope we have in you.❤️
“…He is good to those who “twist and stretch and bind themselves to” Him in the waiting.” – Marnie
MARNIE, what a great devo- certainly WORTH the WAIT today! ❤☺❤
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O Israel, hope in the Lord;
for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from every kind of sin.
John MacArthur said,
“He shall redeem Israel.
This can be taken in both a historical and a soteriological sense (cf. Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:68; Rom. 9–11).”
❤ I learned a new word today! From the web:
“The meaning of SOTERIOLOGY is theology dealing with salvation especially as effected by Jesus Christ.”
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Wiersbe said, “All who trust Jesus Christ are children in God’s family and not slaves, and their future is secure (Gal. 3:26—4:7).”
What JOY we can find in that statement! Praise the Lord for the gift of salvation.
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I know the Lamentations verse said it’s good to wait quietly, but the song that came to me this morning is:
HOUSE OF THE LORD- Phil Wickham (partial lyrics):
There’s joy in the house of the Lord
Our God is surely in this place
And we won’t be quiet
We shout out Your praise
We shout out Your praise
There is joy in the house, there is joy in the house today
We shout out Your praise
We shout out Your praise
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Love, hugs, and prayers!
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THANK YOU, SRT, TECH TEAM!!! ❤❤❤
This is the traditional week of joy in most Advent observances, so I think it’s ok to shout for joy. ;) Although joy is often found in waiting quietly, when there seems to be no hope. But if we could see the answers to our prayers, what need would we have for hope or faith?
Amen, Margaret – 100%! ❤
Twist, stretch, bind, shout for joy.❤️✨
❤ Yep! ☺✨
I love the illustration that it is to twist and stretch ourselves to the Lord. So hard but I can understand that waiting so much better.
yes, it’s so good and reminds of how we tell our ladies in jail that they are in a dark place, but just like the caterpillar they can change into something beautiful, BUT it takes a lot of moving and pushing to get stronger before you can be released in God’s perfect timing to FLY with beautiful strong wings! ♥️
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qa.vah is to hope. Hope in Jesus coming. Hope in the waiting. Hope even when we don’t know when He is coming.
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My great nephew is still in the hospital. He continues to throw up. Praying that subsides quickly. The surgery went well. Thank you for your prayers!
Praying for your nephew.
Praying for good recovery. Praise God.
Wait with hope! Sooooo hard to do but what a way to grow faith!
To wait is to hope!! Yes!!
Oh, we haven’t had a devotion from Marnie in awhile, and this one is SO good! The wait…NO one likes the wait. It is so hard, especially when it seems like nothing changes, maybe year after year.
We have all experienced this in some form- and the ones that found Jesus in the wait…and we clung with everything we had- we found freedom from our brokenness, some light in the darkness! And when we make it through, we rejoice. It certainly didn’t happen like we had hoped or dreamed, but oftentimes we are happy for it. If it was a loss, a death, we are not glad of course, but an understanding and peace happens! He is our true source of substance, the living water that cleanses us and the breath that restores us!
Therefore, we trust and believe even more and even if, and even what shall come! Because He is OUR King of kings, Lord of Lords, Light in the darkness, Joy in the sorrow, and Peace in the midst of Chaos, waiting with Hope!
We thank you Lord and Savior Jesus! I can’t imagine life without you, and life with me in charge, no bueno! And when I must wait I will wait on you and With You!
Hallelujah!
“Wait on You” by Elevation/Maverick is always a favorite. He will raise us up on eagle’s wing!
If you are in a season of wait, I pray for you! Put your request or name below, the She’s want to pray for you!
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I’m waiting for beloved family members, especially my two children, to accept Christ as their Savior. Thank you for praying.
heavenly Father we lift Alice’s two children up to you that Lord that they would see you and recognize you as you tug on their hearts. we ask that you give Alice the right words at the right time to say if needed Lord and just that you use every situation for your goodness for them to come to you in Jesus name amen!
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I, like many, are waiting for my children to accept the Lord is our Savior. And my grandchildren also. It can be so difficult to wait. But we continue praying and believing and hoping in Jesus name.
Lord Jesus, reveal yourself to Tricia’s children in a real and palpable way, let seeds start to grow and be watered more and more, bring your light to them. We pray in agreement that these are soon to come into the fold! In Jesus’ name Amen!
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Wait for God with God. Yes. So simple yet so profound.