Hardpressed?

(Devotion prepared for Short-Term Missions Trip to Ban Orn and Maetoh in Northern Thailand, 9 – 19 Dec 2012)

“28 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.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 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)

Context of Bible Passage

· Beginning with Chapter 40 (till Chapter 66), the prophet Isaiah predicts that the Israelites in the kingdom of Judah will be taken into exile in Babylon.

· Isaiah gives God’s words of comfort and promise of deliverance from suffering and discouragement.

How does God give us strength?
 

·         Verse 31 says:  Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

·         Even though the promise that God gives through the prophet Isaiah is to the Israelite people, it is relevant to us today as well.

·         Today, our strength is increased physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually – when we look to God in the midst of our difficulties, when we wait patiently for his help, when we believe and have confidence in his love for us, when we trust in God’s continued presence and care.

·         Do you feel inadequate or unfit to serve the people in Ban-orn?  Do you feel worn-out and need to be refreshed and strengthened for the rest of Ban-orn trip?  Look to God today.  Look to God every day. 

·         God does not give strength to us wholesale – He does not give us strength on Monday morning to last through the whole week.  He renews our strength day by day.  As our day, so shall our strength be – by the grace of God.

What happens when God gives us strength?

·         Verse 31 says – we will soar like eagles, we will run and not grow weary, we will walk and not be faint.

·         When we exchange our weakness for God’s empowerment, God equips us to perform the tasks that He calls us to do in Ban-orn, whether it is medical clinic or Vacational Bible School or just the simple acceptance and enjoyment of the simple life in Ban-orn. 

·         God enables us to rise above the difficult circumstances we may be in, to run our race against the many challenges we face, to walk with God in the daily routine of our life.

Who is this God who gives us strength? 

(1) He is the eternal God, the Creator God.

Verse 28 says:  Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

·         God is from everlasting to everlasting unchanged.  He is the One and only Living God.  His nature is eternal – His faithfulness, His truth, His goodness, His mercy, His love.  He is timeless – He was able to meet the needs of the Israelite people in Isaiah’s time and He is able to meet our needs in our present time. 

·         Since God creates the earth and everything in it, He is the owner and ruler of all. We belong to God and God takes care of us His people.

(2)  God is all-wise and all-powerful.

·         The work of creation requires infinite wisdom and power.  Our Creator God is all-wise and all-powerful.  Verse 28 says: “He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom”.  Since God is all-wise and all-powerful, He knows our needs and difficulties and He is able to care for us today, tomorrow, and in the days to come.

(3)  God is the one who gives strength to his people.

·        Verse 29 says:  God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Verse 30 says: Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.

·         Man is weak, even young people in the prime of life.  But God is strong; He is Man’s power source.  The power that we do not have, God gives to us.  When we are weak in ourselves, then are we strong in God. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

·         The Apostle Paul says:  I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:13). Do you need strength for the day?  Look to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and all things are possible – for you, for me. 

“Ask and it will be given to you.

Seek and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

May our heavenly Father’s grace be sufficient for us.  When we are weak, then are we strong in Christ.  Amen.