He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, And there He spoke to us–– That is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is his memorial. So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually.
Wait on the Lord until He saves you. Don't go in self-strength, deceiving yourself in the abundance of trickery and illusion, but get REAL power from the Lord and REAL salvation.
He freely gives it, He willingly gives it, and He shall meet your needs thereby alone. This is the only way that we serve God, by faith.
First, He willingly and freely gives salvation (vs3-4). He uses Jacob as an illustration of finding God, saying, “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he prevailed with the Angel and overcame; he wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us”. He doesn't ask us to deserve, but He gives from the goodness of His love, from His own heart, cheerfully, and without upbraiding or rejection. He says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). We're to wait on a gracious God.
I've been thinking about preaching and my church where I pastor, what gifts I have or don't have, etc. But, I find great peace in surrendering to Christ, in saying, “You will bless the word in the power of Your Spirit, or I won't preach”. There is no need to fake it, and you can't please God in unbelief. Let us REALLY believe the grace of God, and if it is free to sinners, then let us GET grace, so that we can live godly and please Him. You and I are to wait on the Lord for this.
Secondly, waiting on the Lord involves patience. Saul was supposed to wait on Samuel the priest, but he did it his own way, in his own time, and it didn't please God. He said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed... then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord'. Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering'. And Samuel said to Saul, 'You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you (1 Sam 13:11-14).” Wait on pardon, rather than walking without it, serving God in the flesh displeasingly. Wait on the joy of the Lord and power, rather than pretending that you have it. Wait because He assuredly gives. You and I don't have to be better than we are to get the grace that we need.
Wait on Him because He will meet your needs. He will give grace to make you gracious. He'll give power, peace, and everything that you need. Don't serve Him on your own, but draw near to Him and beg for the cleansing of your mind. Humble yourself in prayer and ask Him to save you, to speak by you, and to do you good by the Spirit. Admit your sinful inability and trust Him to be good enough to give it to you. Go to the cross for favor and acceptance before trying to live acceptable; remember PARDON comes before pleasure and power over sin. Wait because the promise is sure, and He won't have you waiting in vain.
Finally, I've seen the weariness of the flesh, and the religion of man trying to serve God without God serving him. I've experienced the stupidity of thinking that we can substitute our charm and talent for the Holy Spirit, when we can do nothing apart from God working in us by faith. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). Rom 8:2-4 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”. Let us believe His love, so that He can work... believe His promises, so that we can experience them... and believe His necessity and sufficiency, so that we honor no other gods and give our hearts to no one else but Him. Scripture says, “Ephraim feeds on the wind, and pursues the east wind; he daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried to Egypt” (Hos 12:1-2). You've tried and failed in your strength, finding peace an illusion and victory turned to failure. Now that you can rationally do nothing else, wait. Wait on the Lord continually!
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