Grace For The Journey

Yesterday, we began looking at the greatness and goodness of God.  This is one truth that is essential to understand if we are going to know God as He is.  God says in Isaiah 40:25, “’To whom will you compare Me? Who is My equal?’ asks the Holy One.”

No one can fully describe God

Because no one can

Fully comprehend God.

When Isaiah tried to understand God’s greatness, he concluded in Isaiah 40:22, “The people below must seem to Him like grasshoppers!”  That’s how we feel sometimes, isn’t it?

We feel as though God is so great

That He can’t possible care about us.

Yet, that is not what His Word teaches.

Isaiah begins this chapter with these words from the Lord – “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.”  In other words, God is declaring and wanting us to know –

“Let My people know

Just how much I care.”

Concerning God’s care, we read these words in Isaiah 40:11, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd.  He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.”  Though God is infinitely more marvelous than we can possibly imagine, He cares about each of us even as a shepherd cares for his sheep.  God carries us in His arms and hold us close to His heart.

Yet, perhaps many of you are thinking, “I don’t feel such care. I don’t feel such closeness.  I feel as though God is a million miles away and I am less than nothing.”  We all have times when we feel this way; yet . . .

We can’t always trust our feelings.

Instead we must go to God’s Word

And study His truth and stand upon His Word.

The people of Israel wondered if God still cared for them.  They had sinned and punishment had been promised.  But even with their sin, God sought to give them comfort.  The Bible says in Isaiah 40:27-31, “O Israel, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles?  How can you say God refuses to hear your case?  Have you never heard or understood?  Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth?  He never grows faint or weary.  No one can measure the depths of His understanding.  He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak.  Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up.  But those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength.  They will fly high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.”

“God will continue to care for you,” Isaiah promised, “but you must learn to wait upon Him and not do things on your own.”  

God gives power

To those who

Are tied and worn out –

If they wait upon Him.

God gives strength

To the weak –

If they will learn

To lean upon His strength

And not their own.

The word for “renew” here literally means “exchange.”  God promises to exchange our weakness and inability with His power and ability.

The key is to “wait.”

What does it mean

To wait upon the Lord?

This word is used in the Bible not to convey idleness or inactivity – like waiting in the doctor’s office – but it speaks of pursuit and progress.  Simply put . . . The word ‘wait’ means “to look to something and pursue it with hope and expectation.”   It means “to surrender to God and lean upon His greatness and goodness.”

How good can God be to His people?

Perhaps His goodness can

Only be measured by His greatness.

The encouragement Isaiah gives us is that this God who could look upon us as grasshoppers, wants us to be His sons and daughters!  More truths about God’s greatness in tomorrow’s blog.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”