Did you ever think about how much time you spend waiting? You might wait for a friend to arrive, for a bus to arrive, for a package to arrive. You might wait to be served, for a program to start, for a decision to be made, for an answer, for a loan to be approved, for a loved one to call. We can spend endless hours waiting, often not too patiently.
But while there are so many things for which we wait, there are many of our decisions to be directed by the Lord. And He always answers – in His time. In fact, the scripture gives us advice about waiting on the Lord in Isaiah 40:31, "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."
That, folks, is advice that we all need. Calm down, be patient, trust and watch the Lord work!
Carl Stuart Hamblen (1908-1989) probably experienced this truth many times over his life. The son of a traveling Methodist preacher, Hamblen became a 1930s radio and country-western movie star, and it wasn't long until he had a record contract too. He owned race horses for a time, and by 1938 even ran for Congress (though he lost in a close race). All along the way he tried to manage the stress of his celebrity status with alcohol and gambling.
In 1949, Stuart and his wife Suzy attended a prayer meeting at the home of Henrietta Mears. This was one of the meetings of the Hollywood Christian Group, and on that particular night, a young man named Billy Graham was there to speak to the group. Suzy made sure they were there early, and she and Henrietta disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Stuart and Billy alone. The two men hit it off right away, and Stuart asked Billy if he would like to come on his radio show to promote his tent crusade. Billy did show up at the radio station, and after the radio interview, Stuart urged his listeners to go down to the tent to hear more of Billy, and ended by stating "Make sure you all come, cause I'll be there too!" Well, Suzy wasn't going to let those words ring untrue.
That evening, as Stuart started to settle in for the night, Suzy appeared, all ready to go out the door. She looked at Stuart and said, "You ready to go? You told everyone that you were going to be there. You don't want to disappoint your fans!" So, Stuart went and sat front row center. Night after night, Stuart was there, front row center, until he could take it no more. What a lot of people don't know, is that Stuart was the son of Dr. James Henry Hamblen, an itinerant Methodist circuit preacher and the founder of the Evangelical Methodist Church denomination, and conviction was hitting Stuart hard. Knowing that the tent crusade was scheduled to end in a couple of days, Stuart decided to escape; packed up his hound dogs, and headed out for a hunting trip. But he couldn't get away because the Holy Spirit continued to work and Stuart was soon converted.
Stuart gave himself to God, and perhaps any remaining conversion skeptics began to believe when he subsequently declined to promote beer on the radio, for which he was fired from his show. He used his last several shows to let his nationwide-listening audience know why he would be leaving the air. Hearing this, in 1952, the Prohibition Party asked Stuart to run for the President of the United States on their ticket. He had never done that before, and so he did. When the final votes were counted, he had set a new record for votes for the Prohibition ticket, running 4th to Dwight Eisenhower. In his final days he wrote more than 225 songs and shared his testimony in many places.
In 1949, Stuart and his wife Suzy attended a prayer meeting at the home of Henrietta Mears. This was one of the meetings of the Hollywood Christian Group, and on that particular night, a young man named Billy Graham was there to speak to the group. Suzy made sure they were there early, and she and Henrietta disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Stuart and Billy alone. The two men hit it off right away, and Stuart asked Billy if he would like to come on his radio show to promote his tent crusade. Billy did show up at the radio station, and after the radio interview, Stuart urged his listeners to go down to the tent to hear more of Billy, and ended by stating "Make sure you all come, cause I'll be there too!" Well, Suzy wasn't going to let those words ring untrue.
That evening, as Stuart started to settle in for the night, Suzy appeared, all ready to go out the door. She looked at Stuart and said, "You ready to go? You told everyone that you were going to be there. You don't want to disappoint your fans!" So, Stuart went and sat front row center. Night after night, Stuart was there, front row center, until he could take it no more. What a lot of people don't know, is that Stuart was the son of Dr. James Henry Hamblen, an itinerant Methodist circuit preacher and the founder of the Evangelical Methodist Church denomination, and conviction was hitting Stuart hard. Knowing that the tent crusade was scheduled to end in a couple of days, Stuart decided to escape; packed up his hound dogs, and headed out for a hunting trip. But he couldn't get away because the Holy Spirit continued to work and Stuart was soon converted.
Stuart gave himself to God, and perhaps any remaining conversion skeptics began to believe when he subsequently declined to promote beer on the radio, for which he was fired from his show. He used his last several shows to let his nationwide-listening audience know why he would be leaving the air. Hearing this, in 1952, the Prohibition Party asked Stuart to run for the President of the United States on their ticket. He had never done that before, and so he did. When the final votes were counted, he had set a new record for votes for the Prohibition ticket, running 4th to Dwight Eisenhower. In his final days he wrote more than 225 songs and shared his testimony in many places.
But this week's song choice, written in 1953, is one of the best testimonies he has left. What a reminder for us to claim the truth of Isaiah 40:31 – wait on our knees as the Lord answers and teaches us. Rely on the Lord, not on the advice of others. Lord, teach us to wait.
Teach me Lord to wait down on my knees
Till in Your own good time You answer my pleas
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer for an answer from You
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait
Teach me Lord to wait while hearts are aflame
Let me humble my pride and call on Your name
Keep my faith renewed, my eyes on Thee
Let me be on this earth what you want me to be
There's a time and a season for all things
You promised in Your word to answer my pleas
I'm crying to You, Lord to grant sweet relief
Oh, Lord remove all my unbelief
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait
Teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait
Listen to it here. WAIT
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