Waiting on God

Verse 1

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength, whate’er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days:
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

Verse 2

What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help, if thou bewail thee
O’er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

Verse 3

Only be still, and wait His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate’er thy Father’s pleasure
And all-deserving love hath sent;
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

Verse 4

All are alike before the Highest;
’Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low;
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

Verse 5

Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust His word,—though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Verse 1

Jesus, my Strength, my Hope,
On Thee I cast my care;
With humble confidence look up,
And know Thou hearest my prayer;
Give me on Thee to wait,
Till I can all things do;
On Thee, almighty to create,
Almighty to renew.

Verse 2

I want a sober mind,
A self-renouncing will,
That tramples down and casts behind
The baits of pleasing ill;
A soul inured to pain,
To hardship, grief, and loss;
Bold to take up, firm to sustain,
The consecrated cross.

Verse 3

I want a godly fear,
A quick-discerning eye,
That looks to Thee when sin is near,
And sees the tempter fly;
A spirit still prepared,
And armed with jealous care;
For ever standing on its guard,
And watching unto prayer.

Verse 4

I rest upon Thy word;
Thy promise is for me;
My succor and salvation, Lord,
Shall surely come from Thee:
But let me still abide,
Nor from my Hope remove,
Till Thou my patient spirit guide
Into Thy perfect love.

Verse 1

Wait, my soul, upon the Lord,
To His gracious promise flee,
Laying hold upon His word,
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 2

If the sorrows of thy case
Seem peculiar still to thee,
God has promised needful grace:
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 3

Days of trial, days of grief,
In succession thou mayst see,
This is still thy sweet relief:
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 4

Rock of Ages, I’m secure,
With Thy promise, full and free,
Faithful, positive, and sure,
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 1

Wait, my soul, upon the Lord,
To His gracious promise flee,
Laying hold upon His word,
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 2

If the sorrows of thy case
Seem peculiar still to thee,
God has promised needful grace:
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 3

Days of trial, days of grief,
In succession thou mayst see,
This is still thy sweet relief:
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

Verse 4

Rock of Ages, I’m secure,
With Thy promise, full and free,
Faithful, positive, and sure,
“As thy days thy strength shall be.”

We pray that Thou wouldst use our many necessities and wants as open doors through which Thy grace may come into our hearts. We pray that we may keep open the door for the entrance of all Thy gifts. Draw near to us now, and help us always to wait on the Lord so that we shall not want any good. Thine ears are open to the cry of the righteous; make us righteous that our cry may ‘enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.’ Teach us how and what to desire. Help us to subordinate all our wishes for earthly things to the higher aspirations after greater and deeper good. May our lives be in accordance with that prayer; and may we, in all our daily pursuits and amidst all the temptations and distractions that belong to our earthly life, be seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Lord, we feel that our lives would be very different if that prayer were fulfilled, and we know that it is in Thy heart to fulfil it unless we hinder Thee. So we beseech Thee that Thou wouldst mould us, and discipline us so that we may cease to set our affections and minds on things of earth shutting out the things that are above where Christ is. We may not know what we ask, we do not know how Thou mayest be pleased to fulfil the petition; but we ask Thee to help us that we may stand to it, and even if Thou dost answer it by disappointment and by sorrow may believe that they too are working together for our good. Hear us; in Thy mercy forgive, quicken, strengthen and answer us, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Set us free, O Lord, we beseech Thee, from the fetters of sin and earth, that we may indeed joyfully serve Thee, and labour on at Thy command. We would say, ‘O Lord! truly I am Thy servant; Thou hast loosed my bonds.’ Thou dost set us free that in Thy service we may find liberty. Thou dost honour us by letting us do Thy will. Thou dost incline our hearts, when we wait before Thee, to the joy of obedience and the blessedness of action for Thee. Thou dost draw us by mighty motives. Thou dost inspire us with power not our own. Grant, O Lord, that we, enriched by so many gifts of Thine hand, and enabled by so many inspirations of Thy grace, may indeed joyously wait upon God, in all holy obedience; and as the eyes of a servant are towards his master, so may ours be to Thee, O our God.