Cedarville Magazine, Spring/Summer 2016

Chapel Notes God wants you and me to soar like eagles. Then you’ll get the updrafts of His spirit, and you soar in His strength (Isa. 40:31). The question is, how do we go from flapping to soaring? The secret of [soaring] is waiting. To wait on the Lord — oh, this is not in my DNA. To wait means to pause and soberly consider our own inadequacy and the Lord’s sufficiency, and to seek counsel and to ask for help and to hope in Him. Waiting involves submission to the Word of God, and the will of God, and the ways of God. We are a generation of fast food and instant gratification and the “buy now, pay later” mentality. Live together before you get married; what are you waiting for? Waiting doesn’t sell well in our day. The Bible points us in a direction that slows us down, so we can arrive at our destination and actually enjoy the journey. When we sense panic growing within us, we need to transform our panic by a pause for strength. When we wonder how we will ever do it all, we need to just wait long enough for God’s peace to reclaim our heart. Waiting has to be done in silence, another word that we’re very uncomfortable with today. “Be still and know that I amGod” (Ps. 46:10). Silence, like waiting, is not native to my world. You can nurture silence in your heart if you value it, if you cherish it, and are eager to nourish it. We have allowed our lives to become so cluttered up, we never have time to really think about anything to its roots, and I believe Isaiah is onto something when he talks about waiting on the Lord. God is eternal; He’s the everlasting God. He’s sovereign; He is the Lord. He’s omnipotent, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He’s immutable; He never faints or is weary. He is omniscient; His understanding is unsearchable. He is merciful; He gives power to the weak. He is gracious; He increases strength to those who already have might. He’s worth waiting on. When the voices filling your mind with what to do, where to go, and what’s going to happen after you get out of here are screaming in your head, just wait a little bit longer to hear the voice of God. He’s worth the wait. The Bible says if you focus on Him, you will be in perfect peace. So I want to ask you, are you soaring or are you flapping? Have you gotten so comfortable that you’re unwilling to step out in faith and trust God for anything new? Perhaps He’s stirring up your nest so you will launch out in some pioneer spiritual journey. God is longing to transform us from hummingbirds to eagles. He will stop at nothing; His purpose is clear. His children are eagles in the making. David Jeremiah ’63 is the Founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries and is Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California. He is the author of numerous books including the Jeremiah Study Bible. He has also served on the Cedarville University Board of Trustees. Waiting and Soaring The following is an excerpt from a January 28, 2016, chapel presentation by David Jeremiah ’63. Listen to his full remarks at cedarville.edu/chapel . When the voices filling your mind with what to do, where to go, and what’s going to happen after you get out of here are screaming in your head, just wait a little bit longer to hear the voice of God. He’s worth the wait. Cedarville Magazine | 37