There are 26 Hebrew words for the word wait, with each one carrying a specific meaning. This study aims to look at one word; the word qavah.
Qavah, means more than to just passively 'wait' as we think of in English terminology. Qavah means to wait with hopeful expectation, to set our eyes upon what we are looking for.
A great example would be that of a child who has been told that a relative is coming to visit. Perhaps it is a grandmother that is dearly loved by the child. The child paces around and runs many times to look out the window to see if grandma is there. There is an excited hopeful expectation; for the child KNOWS that grandma is coming, and is 'waiting' for her to arrive. This is qavah in a nutshell! Qavah is not passive, qavah is active and full of life!
TO 'QAVAH' BRINGS STRENGTH
Now that we understand qavah, let's look at some scripture and see the heart of the word, which is often translated as hope, wait, long, and trust.
Isaiah 33:2
O LORD, be gracious to us; we long (qavah) for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.
Isaiah 40:31
...but those who hope (qavah) in YHVH will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Psalms 27:14
Wait (qavah) for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait (qavah) for YHVH.
We are to look to see with hopeful expectation for our Heavenly Father to move on our behalf. He is our strength and salvation as we qavah!
TO 'QAVAH' IN DISTRESS
There are times in life where we go through trials of all kinds. We are to take those things, put them before the Father and qavah for Him and put our hearts in expecting Him to come to our aid.
Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait (qavah) for YHVH, and he will deliver you.
Psalms 130:5
I wait (qavah) for YHVH, my soul waits (qavah), and in his word I put my hope.
Isaiah 25:9
In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted (qavah) in him, and he saved us. This is YHVH, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
Do we believe the word? If so, let us qavah! Let us have hopeful eager expectations. Let us be looking for our answer, knowing, just as that child knows grandma is on the way, that our strength, deliverance, and aid is just around the corner!
Lamentations 3:25
YHVH is good to those whose hope (qavah) is in him, to the one who seeks him.
For Further Study
See our teachings on... Lift Up Your Eyes
A topical study about 'lifting your eyes.' Learn about promises, visions, miracles, and open heavens, all connected to the act of looking upward.
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