Waiting on GOD

      What is it to wait upon God? How is it that we may increase our spiritual strength by waiting upon God?

      There are three or four things in waiting upon God that make up waiting; for it is a peculiar kind and work of faith that is called waiting: and if you will read the Scriptures, you will find that there is not a duty or exercise of faith which hath greater or more precious promises annexed to it than this of waiting.

       The first thing in waiting is looking unto God, eyeing of God. So David expresses it in the Psalms: "As the eyes, of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God." God expresses it by "looking:" Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth." "In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee," saith David, "and will look up."

      Now, this looking unto God, which is the foundation of waiting, is the fixing of the soul towards God; as when we look upon a thing, we make it the object of our consideration, and bend our thoughts towards it. If we would wait upon God, we must be, in the actings of our faith, looking towards him; that is, we must consider his goodness, the excellency of Christ, his promises, and his truth and faithfulness in them, and his power. We must be in the contemplation of these things if we intend to wait upon God.

      The second thing is patience in looking. Sometimes it is called "patient waiting," waiting patiently for the Lord, not to faint, not to be weary. Many a one will cast a look towards God, but as quickly weary; this is not waiting.