Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. Psalm 27:14

Waiting, in any circumstance, is hard. Given the opportunity to get yourself out of a bad situation, why wouldn’t you?

David, in the Bible, was called “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Even after intense moral failure, David kept following God, repenting and starting again.

Israel’s first king, Saul, had rebelled against God. God chose David as a very young man to replace Saul, but David waited 15 long years to be king.  He showed that he was determined to wait for God to bring about what He promised, even in the worst of personal circumstances.

During those years Saul constantly hunted David, trying to kill him. Twice David had the chance to take things into his own hands and do away with Saul. The first time David only cut off a piece of the king’s royal robe, telling Saul, God “is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!” (1 Samuel 24:15)

One night David found Saul sleeping. The warrior with David whispered, “God has surely handed your enemy over to you!” But David only took Saul’s spear and jug of water, saying,” Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed!” (1 Samuel 26:10)

Amazingly, David waited, believing that God would do what He had promised and trusting God’s timing and God’s way. “God is my advocate,” David said.  And He is your advocate just as He was David’s. May David’s words of Psalm 27 encourage us: “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14).