Sit still, my Daughter

  Sit still, my Daughter

I thought my first post should explain the title of my blog and the reason behind it. As you can guess the theme is waiting. Waiting; everyone hates it, yet everyone has to do it at some point! People wait for all kinds of things: children, promotions, answered prayers, marriage, fulfilled dreams or on someone. My question is how are we waiting; what is our attitude while we are waiting? Do we complain throughout the entire waiting period or spend our time wishing is would soon be over. Do we compare ourselves to others and say “Look at them, they don't have to wait as long as I do!”; or are we biting our nails and completely worried over the whole situation?

I entitled my blog “Sit still, my Daughter” which is taken from Ruth 3:18. This verse stuck out to me one day as I was reading the passage. Naomi had just been told that while Ruth's visit with Boaz was successful there was one glitch and it was not minor! Ruth had just risked everything and laid her hopes and dreams out there for everyone to see. She asked Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer(basically she asked him to marry her!), a man she greatly respected and loved deeply. Yet here heart must have trembled when Boaz told her he was not first in line to redeem her. There was a chance she would have to marry another!

I can not help but wonder what thoughts were churning around in her mind as she walked home in the early morning light. Feelings of fear and worry may have begun to creep into her heart as she prepared to tell Naomi what had happened. Her voice probably trembled slightly as she recounted it all to Naomi; when she finished her mother in law had some profound words of wisdom to offer her daughter in law:

“Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will
fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.”

Naomi had confidence in the character of Boaz and knew he would handle it wisely and without delay. And indeed Naomi's words rang true; before the day was out all that Ruth had dreamed and waited for came true! But first she waited.

There are several examples in the Bible of people who waited:

Sarah ~ She waited for a son. Though she made the mistake of not waiting with Hagar; she learned a valuable lesson and afterword waited patiently
on the LORD and was rewarded!

Joseph ~ He waited on God to fulfill the dreams he had given him. Though everyone around him had their dreams fulfilled almost immediately; Joseph waited 20 years to see his fulfilled. Yet the waiting period was vital training for the completion of his dreams.

David ~ He waited to become the king of Israel, whom God had anointed him to be. But while he waited he endured many hardships(both physical and emotional) yet because of that waiting period we have many wonderful and comforting Psalms which we gain strength from. I believe David knew what he was talking about when he wrote them!

Daniel ~ He waited for answered prayer. When the messenger finally did arrive he shared with Daniel the reason for the delay and made sure to tell him that God had heard his prayer the first time Daniel uttered it!

These people, whom we like to call hero's, were really ordinary people who had one common thread: They waited on God. They realized that to wait on God is to show your trust in Him and believe His word completely. When you do this you are blessed with rest and are worry free! There are a couple of verses in the Psalms on waiting:

Psalm 37:7 ~ “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to past.”

Psalm 37:34 ~ “Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inheirt the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.”

Notice the verse from Ruth again, “Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.” Why was Naomi so confident? Because she knew the character of Boaz.

How can we wait and sit still? Because we know the character of our God. He loves us(Jer. 31:3) and will always work all things for good(Rom8:28)

Waiting is never easy but it is a necessary part to our spiritual growth. By waiting we learn patience, trust and gain confidence in the character of our God. Did I mention that there are also rewards to those who wait? Notice the verse found in Isaiah 40:31, “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.”

My desire with this blog is to encourage, and strengthen each one of you as we seek to become more like our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. The times we are waiting are the perfect opportunities for us to grow in our relationship with our God and seek to know Him better.

I am so thankful to my God for His word, the strength and promises I find there and that there is no shadow of turning in His character! I would like to close with one more verse from Psalm.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14

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