How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. (Isa. 30:19)
Roger Staubach, who led the Dallas Cowboys to the NFL Championship in 1971, admitted that being a star quarterback who didn’t call his own plays was really difficult for him, for his now Hall of Fame coach, the great Tom Landry, sent in every play. Coach Landry told Roger when to pass, when to run, and only in certain situations could he change the play. Even though Staubach considered Coach Landry to have a genius football mind, pride still dwelt in him and said he should be able to run his own team. Staubauch later admitted, “I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory.”
In Isaiah 30:19, the prophet told how when God’s people rely on Him and patiently trust in His promise and word, God pours out His grace. Even when we feel as though God might be distant, He hears and promises to answer, blessing us spiritually, giving us true harmony, fulfillment, and victory. Through patient trust and waiting we put ourselves in a space that allows Him to do what is best for us.
Are we, then, willing to obey and prepared to go when He answers?
Ask God today to give you faith’s fruit: obedience and patience.
Jeremy Summers is the coauthor of The Way Forward(WPH) and Awakening Grace(WPH). He is also the director of adult ministries for Church Multiplication and Discipleship of The Wesleyan Church.
