The God Who Works While You Wait
Reflections on Isaiah 64:4
“For from days of old no one has heard, nor has ear perceived, nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
Who works and acts in behalf of the one who [gladly] waits for Him.” – Isaiah 64:4 (AMP)
Waiting in the Valley of Nangarhar
I remember when rumors started to spread throughout Afghanistan — the 48th Brigade was coming home. After months of holding an offensive posture, defending and pursuing the enemy seven days a week in the valley of Nangarhar, the news hit like a wave of celebration to my spirit. We were still alive. We had made it.
But deep down, I knew something that most people couldn’t see: my time to leave hadn’t come. The mission was still active. Just as urgent. Just as sacred.
Waiting to leave was one of the hardest things I had to do — but it wasn’t the first time I had to wait for something I wanted with every fiber of my being. Everything in me felt pulled toward rest, release, or change. But the call was clear: stay faithful. Stay present. Stay surrendered. For His glory and for my soldiers I was leading.
So how do you wait — with purpose? With mission?
Isaiah 64 is a chapter of repentance, relationship, and restoration. The people of God are crying out for His presence, remembering His power, and confessing their need. Right in the middle of this prayerful lament is verse 4 — a radical declaration in the ancient world.
A God Like No Other
In ancient times, gods were demanding, distant, and often cruel. No one imagined a deity who worked on behalf of humans — especially not the weak, the broken, or those seen as worthless (Israel).
So when Isaiah says this, the original listeners would have been shaken awake by the contrast:
There is no god like Yahweh. He moves for those who wait.
This is a reminder of His Ḥesed (חֶסֶד) — His steadfast, covenant love. Not because we deserve it. Not because we’ve earned it. But because He is faithful.
Waiting in Hebrew Isn’t Passive
The Hebrew word for wait here is qavah — and it carries weight:
Hope-filled expectation
Tension — like a cord stretched tight
Trust in God’s character and timing
To wait for God wasn’t just about enduring. It was about anchoring. It was about staying aligned with Him in the middle of silence, uncertainty, or suffering.
To the displaced, crushed, and abandoned people of Israel, God was saying through Isaiah:
“God hasn’t forgotten you. You can still expect Him to act — to restore, to redeem, to come near.”
“From of old…” — Remembering Is Key
That phrase likely triggered memories of the Exodus — when God split the seas, crushed Egypt, and fed His people in the wilderness. Not because they were perfect. But because they were His.
Hope is often born from remembering. Just like the worship song says: “I’ve seen You move… You move the mountains… and I believe, I’ll see You do it again.”
This is what fueled them. And it fuels us, too.
Never Finished Challenge: How Do We Wait Today?
Here’s how we apply Isaiah 64:4 in our everyday lives:
1. Remember Who You’re Waiting On
“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” – Lamentations 3:25
Don’t just wait for a breakthrough. Wait for the Lord. Relationship produces breakthrough.
The end goal or result isn’t the answer. It’s a deeper intimacy with the King.
2. Wait With Worship, Not Worry
“Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.” – Isaiah 40:31
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” – Romans 12:12
In the waiting, plant seeds of prayer and praise. God renews your soul through every act of worship — anchoring your heart not in what’s missing, but in who is present. Asking “What does God want to do in me in this season or through me?” is a great start.
3. Wait With Expectation, Not Apathy
“The farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth…” – James 5:7–8
Farmers don’t waste waiting seasons — they prepare. So should we. As you speak, act, and live with hopeful expectation, God will develop your character, deepen your roots, and sharpen your focus.
4. Wait With Others, Not Alone
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
We were never meant to wait alone. God often sends a community to carry us when we feel too weak. Also, if you are doing well, don’t wait to find a community. Remember, you are the five people you hang out with the most.
5. Wait Anchored in the Promises of God
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23
God has never failed — and He won’t start with you.
Our character grows when it’s grounded in His faithfulness — not our performance.
We don’t work for security or victory. We work from it.
While I Waited in Afghanistan…
I woke up each morning, opened the Word, prayed, and preached the gospel. God helped me stay faithful to what He called me to do, even as anxiety tried to shake me. Because of who He is, I didn’t let anxiety sit long— in my weakness, He was strong.
That waiting season didn’t break me. It formed me. I was shaped on the Potter’s wheel.
So what does Isaiah 64:4 say about God?
It tells me this:
My flesh may chase after quick answers. But the unchanging King of Kings — the One who created me and loves me — invites me to wait with Him.
He doesn’t just tolerate my weakness — He transforms it.
He doesn’t just fix my circumstances — He reshapes my soul.
He doesn’t just see me — He walks with me.
What a God.
What a Potter.
What a Friend.
Thank You, Jesus.