Finding the Strength to Serve

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. – Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

Have you ever just wanted to quit?

Elijah ran away into hiding to quit.  Jonah booked passage on a ship headed out of Joppa and headed to Tarshish.  Jeremiah wept bitterly before the Lord, swearing not to speak His name again.  If a prophet could cal it quits, certainly one of us can.

Or, so we think.

In Isaiah chapter 40, we are given a depiction of both God and His people.  The Word reveals the inner workings of the intimate relationship between Jehovah and Jacob, the Almighty and Israel.  A clear view of how God is miraculous and wondrous in His ways arises from the words of comfort offered to the Lord’s prophet to be spoken to the eager ears of the people of Zion.

We want to rationalize our decisions, especially those decisions that might cause us some conflicts with our walk.  It is even harder when we find our decisions to become contrary to all that we have preached, taught and counseled others not to do.  We become hypocrites at that point.  We are saying one thing for others to do in their daily walk with the Lord and not doing any of what we have said ourselves.  That is seriously hypocritical and outright dangerous.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.– Isaiah 40:29

The Lord’s words sooth the discouraged and encourage those running on empty.  He can renew you by refueling you with power and strength.  You can be ready to throw in the towel, but that second wind emerges from somewhere beyond your gut.  You can wish that it was all over and that God would just take you out of your misery, but He provides enough for you to keep going on and getting stronger as you serve more earnestly.  He is able to fuel you as well as fill you.

Let the Lord put your heart and mind at ease.  Don’t stress yourself over your next major move or serious decision.  Listen to His words through His prophet.  become encouraged by what He says he will do for the weak and the empty as well as “them that have no might.” He wants you powered up by what He can give to you.  He wants you strengthened to serve.

Let the Lord use you in a mighty way.