September 23
Isaiah 39-41
Psalm 106:13-18
Proverbs 23:17-18
Colossians 4:2-18
Strength for the Weary
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the Earth, He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord 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.” Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:10, 11, 13 NIV
These verses are a great source of hope and comfort to believers. The last two years have made us all weary. A worldwide pandemic, racial unrest, political divisions, unemployment, financial difficulties, natural disasters, wars, etc. have blindsided us all. It seems that we are in the middle of one problem when another one sneaks up behind us that is worse than the first. We are all living with a sense of dread wondering what is going to happen next and waiting for the other shoe to drop. As I write this I have several friends in ICU on ventilators with Covid pneumonia, my uncle who has significant heart issues was just diagnosed with Covid, a friend’s three year old child was diagnosed with leukemia, my sister (not by blood but by choice) had brain surgery and is in rehab, a dear friend’s husband has prostate cancer, 2 young men that I am very close to and another that I am close to his wife’s family are undergoing treatment for testicular cancer, and several women I know are in the midst of breast cancer treatment. Hospitals are full, goods and services are becoming scarce, schools are contemplating shutting down again because so many students and teachers are either sick or in quarantine. Just when we thought things were getting back to normal, Delta raised its ugly head and seems to be even worse than the original virus and there seem to be more variants ahead. And if that isn’t enough, the news is filled with heartbreaking stories about the horrors in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. We can hardly catch our breath.
There are difficulties in life that overwhelm even the strongest of people and fears that plague the hearts of even the most courageous. Young men grow tired and weary, and they stumble and fall because they are relying on their own inner strength and human resources. Only God’s power is sufficient to sustain us during the storms of life. If we place our hope in our own power and ability, our weaknesses will quickly become evident. If we place our hope in government and leaders, we will be disappointed. If we place our hope in money and resources, they will prove to be inadequate. But these verses assure us that those who place their hope in the Lord will renew their strength. We will be able to soar above our difficulties. We will run and not grow weary and walk and not faint. It does not mean that we will not face difficulties because we certainly will. Relying on God does not protect us from problems, but we can be confident that when we place our faith and trust in Him, He will take care of us. His grace is sufficient for us. His peace sustains us, and His strength enables us to face whatever this life holds. “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV) In these passages, Isaiah promises us that we have no need to fear because He is always with us, and He will help us. No matter what we are facing, we can trust that He will not let us down. He is the Creator of the ends of the Earth, and He never grows tired or weary. We cannot even fathom the depth of His understanding. In His wisdom and knowledge, He always knows what is best for us and is working tirelessly on our behalf to bring it about.
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