Jeremy Hoover

We often talk about "waiting on God." The Psalms (27:14) instruct us to do this, the biblical teaching about prayer concurs (Acts 1:4, 14), James (4:13-15) demonstrates how rushing ahead to make our own plans can lead to failure, and our own experience tells us that this is true.

But what does "waiting" actually mean? What does it infer or imply?

We can take one of two approaches in waiting upon God. First, we can take it absolutely literally and do nothing until we hear from God. Hearing from God can take the form of receiving a word of guidance or an answer to some question. We can sit back and put the burden on God to come through for us.

Or, second, we can cooperate with God, serving him and working towards an answer that we may only partially know but that will become clearer as we cooperate with God while waiting upon him. We can pray but continue thinking, working, and making plans all while being open to God as we wait upon him.

In Judges, there are four deliverers who receive empowerment by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord serves two purposes in Judges: first, in the practical experience of the deliverer, and second, in the narrative, as a way of structuring the reaction of Israel to God.

The first deliverer to have the Spirit come upon him is Othniel (3:10-11). It results in immediate success. The last judge to have the Spirit come upon him is Samson (13-16). He does impressive things but only "begins" to deliver Israel (13:5). In between, the Spirit rests upon Gideon and Jephthah, both of whom deliver Israel but almost immediately turn back to the idolatry and violence Israel sought to be delivered from.

What caused this? It was the attitude each took towards "waiting upon God." Gideon hesitated when the Spirit came upon him; he tested God twice (6:34-40). Jephthah started well but faded quickly, making a rash vow intended to gain God's favor, which he already had because of the Spirit. Samson called upon God only for personal revenge against those who offended him. Only Othniel appears to have functioned properly with the presence of the Spirit.

If hesitation, rashness, and self-seeking slowed down or prevented the work of the Spirit, then it was the cooperation of Othniel with the Spirit that enabled the Spirit to flourish.

God desires to work in and through us. He desires to work with us. But this won't happen if we don't work with him.

Wait upon God, but understand that waiting still means working, cooperating with God to be his agent of change in this world.