Isaiah 40
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
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.
This beautiful, beautiful chapter has spoken to me in all seasons of my life.
It doesn't matter what age I've been or what phase I've gone through - the Lord is truly a God for all seasons.
When you're young in age or young in the faith - how wonderful to know that Jesus carries you close to His heart [verse 11].
For mums and dads, Jesus gently leads you, and, as stressful as it gets, dealing with your children, the Good Shepherd is holding your hand, showing you the way [verse11].
When going through a long term trial, sickness or problem, or unanswered prayers, the Lord reassures that He is in control and sees the way ahead. He understands in ways beyond our comprehension. We may feel that God hasn't listened or doesn't care, but that's not the case at all.
Just a few days ago, a friend had to deal with a situation that I had gone through years ago. It really helped to share that bad experience and God's help at the time. In that trial, little did I know that I would be able to help someone else go through something similar later on.
For those who still have bags of energy, perhaps the end of the chapter doesn't seem appealing. Yet, when each morning is a challenge in the face of pain or exhaustion, then to know that God never gets weary and He, in fact, passes on His strength to walk and not faint, is the most encouraging and endearing character of the Lord.
Jesus echoes these words when He says in Matthew 11:
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
I don't know about you, but I'm nestling close to Jesus this morning, taking on board His Strength and His Rest for my soul.
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