Your salvation I waited, O Jehovah! (Genesis 49: 8.)
It is not easy to say exactly in what sense Jacob used these words, in the midst of his prophecies regarding the future of his children. But, no doubt they indicate that both he and his children expected only in God. It was God's salvation that they expected; a salvation that God had promised and that God could only work. Jacob knew that both he and
His children were under God's care. Jehovah, the eternal God, would show in them his power. These words point to the wonderful story of redemption, which has not yet concluded, and the glorious future in eternity to which it leads.
They suggest to us that there is no salvation other than God's salvation, and that the expectation of God this salvation, whether for our personal experience, or for more extensive circles, is our first duty and our true bliss. Let us think of ourselves and of the glorious salvation that God has worked for us in Christ, and that he now wants to perfect in us through the Holy Spirit. Let us meditate until we understand that each participation in his great salvation, moment by moment, must be the work of God himself. God can not separate himself from his grace, goodness, strength, as something external that he gives us, as if it were the raindrops that he sends from heaven. No, He can only give it to us, and we can enjoy it by working it directly on us and incessantly. And the only reason why he does not do it more effectively and continuously is because we do not let him.
We prevent it, either because of our indifference or our own effort, so that He can not do what he wants. What it asks of us, our dedication, obedience, desire and trust, all this is understood in this word: to wait on Him, to wait for our salvation from Him. Here a deep feeling of our total disability is combined to do what is good to the eyes of God, and our perfect confidence that God will do it with his divine power.
God only asks us to yield, to surrender, to wait for Him to do everything. Let us meditate and be still, until we see how purposeful and right and blessed it is that God alone does everything, and that our soul wants to prostrate itself in humility and say: "I have waited for your salvation, O Jehovah." And the bottom of all our prayers and work will be: "Truly my soul waits on God."
The application of this truth to wider circles, to those for whom we work and for whom we intercede, to the Church of Christ that surrounds us, or even to the world in general, is not difficult. There can be nothing good except what God works; to wait on God, to have a heart full of faith in his work, and in this faith to pray for his great power to come, is our only wisdom. Oh, may the eyes of our hearts be opened to see God working in us and in others, and to see how blessed it is to worship and expect his salvation!
Our private and public prayer is the main expression of our relationship with God. It is in them that our waiting in God must be exercised. If our waiting begins by silencing natural activities, and remaining silent before God; if it is to bow down and try to see God in his universal and almighty operation, only He is able to dispose and do all that is good; if he surrenders to Him, in the assurance that He is working in us; if he stays in the place of humility and
stillness and surrender until the Spirit of God has revived the faith that He will perfect his work: then, it will truly become the strength and joy of the soul. Life will be an exclamation of deep joy: "I waited for your salvation, O Jehovah."