Waiting?

Isaiah 40:27-31

      27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,

      “My way is hidden from the LORD,

      And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?

      28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?

      The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth

      Does not become weary or tired.

      His understanding is inscrutable.

      29 He gives strength to the weary,

      And to him who lacks might He increases power.

      30 Though youths grow weary and tired,

      And vigorous young men stumble badly,

      31 Yet those who wait for the LORD

      Will gain new strength;

      They will mount up with wings like eagles,

      They will run and not get tired,

      They will walk and not become weary.

Examine / Explain

Chapter forty of Isaiah begins with eight chapters of comfort for Israel. Chapter forty is a display and reminder of who God is. There is none greater than Him. He is more than an idol. There is nothing that escapes His eye. We believe that He has not heard our cry because we don’t see a specific action. We think we are being unjustly treated. But God says the character of man that follows Him can keep going no matter the earthly circumstances.

How do I apply this to my life?

What does my character look like? Do I believe God is all-seeing? Do I believe that the Creator who spoke creation and time into existence is mindful of even me? In my stumbling through life, do I consider that not only does He see me, but He knows my true motives? I feel like we romanticize verses like this one. Do they reveal God’s character to me as a believer? Yes! But does it mean for a man to wait for the LORD? We, as believers, take off on what is a ministerial project without fully consulting with God, and we get burnt out at some point. Then we look to the verse and say I have a new strength and I will run and not grow weary because it is what God has called me to do. Or maybe we start a ministry, which grows and morphs into something that still looks good, but men get tired because we went on in man’s strength and stopped waiting for the LORD. Our vision gets cloudy, and we quit following closely to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and we begin to anticipate where we think God is leading us. Instead of pausing for a moment and seeking God’s presence and wise counsel before moving on. Do we eagerly seek Him while taking the next, or do we continue to make assumptions? Yes, God directs our steps, but are we actually seeking in those steps?

What is my response?

Father, have I eagerly sought your face for my next step? Have I waited for You in any ministry, or have I made those assumptions of “what’s next”? Where have I gotten started and left you behind, gotten burnt, and turned to something else? Where have You given me vision and I have given up because others would not come along? I grew weary because I was still trying to be successful using my strength. Do I need to do my part? Absolutely! But how often do I stop waiting for You and charge ahead? I want to wait on You better? I want to move under your guidance and have that strength to continue, BUT only if You go with me.