Wait On The Lord

Good evening, everyone. My name's Sam. I'm a youth worker at Saint Paul's here in Harrow, and I've been a Christian pretty much since I can remember.

Before we dive in, I want to ask you a few questions to get us thinking together.

What Are We Waiting For?

You know, most of us—whether we realize it or not—spend a lot of our time waiting. We're waiting in queues at the checkout. We're waiting at bus stops. We're waiting for the next job, the next stage of life, our children to move to the next phase of school. Each of us is always waiting for something.

And you know what? This Christmas season is literally the season of waiting—Advent. The build-up to Christmas is always better than the actual day, isn't it? We love that anticipation. But when it comes to waiting for other things in life, we're not so good at it. Patience is a virtue—and it's hard.

So the question I want to ask you today is simply: What are you waiting for?

Maybe you're waiting for that one counselling session that will finally help you stop struggling with depression. Maybe you're waiting for the day anxiety finally leaves you alone. Maybe you're just waiting for this winter to be over. We all have something.

The Difference Between Waiting For and Waiting On

Let me read you something from Isaiah:

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Do you see the difference? The passage doesn't just say wait for the Lord. It says wait on the Lord.

I spent much of my Christian life as what I'd call a lukewarm Christian. God was real to me, but I wasn't really doing anything for Him. I went to church on Sundays, but that was about it. Then there was a significant moment where I experienced the power of God in a real way—I saw people getting healed, experiencing His presence. Everything changed. I suddenly realized: Why was I waiting all this time? What was I holding back from?

The Trap of Always Chasing the Next Thing

Here's what happens to us: We set a goal, we work toward it, we hit it—and then we just move on to the next thing. We think, When I achieve this, everything will be fine. But then we achieve it and we're already looking ahead.

I recently changed jobs. I left being a youth pastor and started working as a delivery driver for Tesco. I was genuinely excited about it—it was going to be something new. But a month in, I was bored. I promised myself I wouldn't say I hated the job because I knew that meant I'd want to leave. That lasted about a month and a half! Now I'm looking ahead to my next role at London School of Theology.

We do this constantly. We get so focused on what's coming next that we miss what's happening now. We don't just wait for the Lord; we need to actually wait on the Lord.

Getting Distracted from What Matters

You know, when I got married, I suddenly realized there were all these extra people to buy presents for! And all these extra things to do and buy and plan. Then you add on the Christmas season—the tree, the decorations, the family gatherings—and before you know it, our minds are so focused on everything else that we forget what really matters.

Family, friends, community—these things are good and important. But in this season, as we're building up to Christmas Day, we need to remember: Don't just wait for Jesus. Wait on Him.

Jesus Is Worth Waiting On

I can guarantee that each of you is waiting for something right now. Life is good, but it could be better, couldn't it? Maybe you lack joy. Maybe you lack peace. Maybe you lack patience. These are fruits of the Spirit that come when you call on Jesus.

Let me tell you a story. When I was younger, my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Any of you who've experienced cancer in your family knows how terrifying that is. He told me first, and I had a million thoughts racing through my head. What do I do? Do I freak out? Do I cry?

So I went to my room, picked up my guitar, and I started singing worship songs over my situation:

"I believe in you. I believe in you. You're the God of Miracles. You are the Waymaker, Miracle Worker."

Twenty minutes. That's all it took. Within twenty minutes, all my anxiety disappeared. Not only did I know my dad was going to be okay, but I knew he wouldn't need chemotherapy, and he would be completely fine. There's a God who gives peace when all circumstances say you shouldn't have it. When I waited on the Lord, He came through.

What Do You Need This Christmas?

This is what I want to ask you: What do you need? Not what do you want. Not what present are you hoping for. Not which family member can't you wait to see. But what do you need?

I believe in a Jesus who was born in a manger as a baby—but who can give you so much more than a baby can. I believe in a Jesus who can give you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. He can give you all these things when you choose to accept Him.

So this Christmas season, as we continue on, let's not get too focused on everything around us. Let's wait on the Lord—not just wait for the one day when we worship Him on Christmas Day, but truly wait on Him throughout this entire season.

A Prayer

Father, I thank You that in our hardest moments, we can come to You. When our darkest hours hit, You are the one who shines the light. Jesus, we don't need to walk in darkness because we have seen a great light.

Come, Holy Spirit. Anoint our hearts. Help us to know who to turn to. Help us not just to spend our time waiting for You, but waiting on You. This season, be our Wonderful Counselor, our Prince of Peace, our Everlasting Father. Be the one that gives us everything we need.

If You dress the lilies in beauty and splendor, how much more will You clothe us? How much more will You provide for us?

Come, Holy Spirit. Don't let us leave this place unchanged. Be our Waymaker, our Miracle Worker. Where we are waiting for something, bring change. Where we are struggling, bring freedom and breakthrough.

Be our God. Amen.