Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Our days are never the same. Unlike the film Groundhog Day where the unfortunate character must live the same day over and over again, our days are never identical to the day before. They many follow the same pattern, but they are never identical. And thank goodness for that!
Because our days are never the same, we serve a true and living God who provides for all our needs (Philippians 4:19), exactly as we need them each day. One of our greatest needs in life is strength to persevere
through the circumstances of our day. Sometimes our days are easy. Sometimes our days are difficult. Regardless, the strength of the Lord is available. John 15:5 reminds us, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” We have strength to persevere because of our attachment to Jesus. We choose Him and He doesn’t let go!
As we go through our days, the Lord will place events and “assignments” in our path, giving us opportunity to be His hands in this world. Sometimes those are easy and sometimes they are hard. But again, the strength of the Lord is available for the asking.
In Isaiah 40:31, we read, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” This verse starts with a “But,” a qualifying statement, that shows that this promise we are about to receive does require something of us. This verse reminds us that we are to “wait upon the Lord.” “Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually” (Hosea 12:6). Waiting upon God is an attitude of the heart, a belief that without God we are nothing (John 15:5) and that with Him anything is possible (Luke 1:37). So continually waiting upon God means that our hearts are turned to Him; that we are continually going to Him in prayer for guidance in our days (I Thessalonians 5:17); and that we are willing to do what He asks us to do. When we wait on God; what a promise awaits us!
When we wait upon God, our strength is continually renewed (Isaiah 40:31). Most importantly, and most amazingly, our strength is renewed in each and every circumstance. Sometimes God calls us to an acute and immediate situation like an accident; the bedside of a dying friend; or a life crisis. In times like this, we truly need divine strength and the Lord will provide. He will provide strength like that which an Eagle needs to take flight – a large burst of energy! The Lord will provide instantaneous and immediate strength for our circumstance.
Perhaps there is a situation in a friend or loved one’s life, like a divorce or an extended illness. These situations are not just for one day. These life situations are like a marathon, in that they often go on and on and on. But the Lord provides strength for these situations, too. He provides strength to run, and not be weary. This is a continual strength that renews again and again.
Lastly, the Lord provides strength to walk through our days. Our walk is our character, how we go through our days. God’s Word says that we are to walk by faith (II Corinthians 5:7); to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16); to walk worthy of God’s calling (Ephesians 4:1); to walk in love (Ephesians 5:2); to walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:15); to walk in the light (I John 1:17); and to walk like Jesus (I John 2:6). Though walking doesn’t have the immediacy of taking flight or running a race, there is a tremendous amount of strength required to walk day-to-day in the manner that God’s Word asks us to. Walking like Jesus requires a commitment that is renewed daily, a perseverance that doesn’t end, and a relationship with the Saviour that is strong. Without Jesus, we can’t live this way, but with Jesus we can walk in strength throughout our days.
So whether you need strength for the moment, or strength for the race, or strength to walk through your days, the Lord will provide it. We just need ask and wait upon Him. He will provide.