But Lord! I'm tired of waiting!

 That’s a long wait!




Most of you are probably familiar with Moses’ first trip up Mount Sinai after he had led the Hebrew children out of Egypt.  You might recall Moses made two trips up the Mount to be with the Lord.  Apparently, according to the Bible, each time Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights up there.  Wow!  Long time.

The first time he was gone the people got impatient and built the golden calf.  God knows this and sends Moses down to deal with them.  So, off Moses goes.  Shortly after leaving God, Moses speaks with Joshua.


Exodus 32: (NLT) 17 When Joshua heard the boisterous noise of the people shouting below them, he exclaimed to Moses, “It sounds like war in the camp!” 18 But Moses replied, “No, it’s not a shout of victory nor the wailing of defeat. I hear the sound of a celebration.”

19 When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it.


  1. The people became impatient and miss God.  They sinned.  They rebelled.
  2. Joshua was physically in-between God/Moses and the rest of the people.  What is Joshua doing?
    • Waiting patiently
    • Learning from Moses—even though Moses is gone for 40 days and 40 nights.  God’s hand was upon Joshua.  Joshua would become Moses’ successor.  
    • It is noteworthy that Joshua’s education continued: Exodus 33:(NLT) 8 Whenever Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting, all the people would get up and stand in the entrances of their own tents. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. 9 As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. 11 Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. 
  1. So Joshua had the emotional, physical, spiritual stamina to wait for God/Moses— for 40 days and nights!



  • Can I wait?  By the way—a good acronym for wait—Why Am I Talking
  • Am I okay to wait in-between times—-in-between others.  Or am I clamouring to be a front seat Moses kind of person?
  • Why am I so impatient?  
  • Why do I hate waiting?




Make a list of things you are waiting for.

How is your waiting going?  Are you waiting well?

What does waiting accomplish in your soul?

Not waiting has gotten a lot of people into a lot of trouble.  Has this been true for you?

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