Power & Strength

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:28-31)

Aren’t you glad we don’t have a God who gets weary or needs to take an extended vacation? Isaiah reminds us we have a loving Father who never gets weary, has a bad day or is weak and feeble. 

His ways are so much higher than ours and His understanding is unsearchable.  He always has a plan and is never thwarted or outsmarted by anyone or anything!  If you’re feeling weak today lean into this wonderful promise of power which in the original language includes strength and might.  Note here there are no conditions or prerequisites attached to the promise – it simply says He gives it to the weak – so if you’re weak today you qualify for this gift.  He doesn’t stop there however as they say in those annoying commercials – there’s more!  There is always more in God.  To those who perhaps have no strength or might, (vigour or physical strength) He increases your strength. This literally means to multiply, become numerous, enlarge or to increase greatly or abundantly.

Those who with humility are prepared to wait on the Lord, which means to look eagerly or expectantly to Him, shall have their strength renewed.  This is not passively waiting such as waiting for a bus to arrive at a given time or sitting in a comfy chair with an attitude that says, “He knows where I live, He can visit me if He wants to.” The waiting of which Isaiah speaks is to have an ‘active expectancy’ like a child waiting for Christmas morning. 

Those who will take Him at His Word and look expectantly for His promises to become reality in their lives, are assured of renewed strength and the ability to run and not grow weary, walk and not faint. I’m sure you have seen at some stage, long distance runners who despite fatigue to the point of exhaustion, still press on to the finish line if not to gain gold, silver or bronze medals at the very least finished the course. 

Paul was able to say at the end of his life – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). 

Let me encourage you to wait on the Lord afresh today to obtain fresh power and strength, to soar like an eagle and finish your race in victory!