WHERE IS GOD WHEN THE WELL RUNS DRY
ISAIAH 40: 21-31
FEBRUARY 25, 2001
INTRODUCTION: In 1968, the country of Tanzania selected John Stephen Akhwari to represent it in the Mexico City Olympics. Along the racecourse for the marathon, Akhwari stumbled and fell, severely injuring both his knee and ankle. By 7 PM, a runner from Ethiopia had won the race, and all the other competitors had finished and been cared for. Just a few thousand spectators were left in the huge stadium when the police siren at the gate caught their attention. Limping through the gate was number 36, Akhwari, leg wrapped in a bloody bandage. Those present began to cheer as the courageous man completed the final lap of the race. Later, a reporter asked Akhwari the question on everyone’s mind: “Why did you continue the race after you were so badly injured?” He replied: “My country did not send me 7,000 miles to begin a race; they sent me to finish the race.”
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Running the race is never easy. Sometimes, being in the race means that pain is inevitable. But, there is no alternative to being in the race – life is a race, Our faith is a race, a competition in which all must run.
THESIS SENTENCE: In the race of life, when the well runs dry, God is our Strength.
TEXT: The story of a down and out nation/people who were living in exile from their native land – ruled by foreigners – in the race and in pain – frustrated – wondering where God is – had HE not promised a land flowing with milk and honey – Sin caused displacement – exile – imprisonment – enslavement.
QUESTIONS ALWAYS COME WHEN THE RACE IS TOUGH AND PAIN COMES OUR WAY.
QUESTION #1 VS. 21 FOLLOWED BY ANSWER #1 VS. 22-24
I. WHERE IS GOD? (VV. 21)
A. 4 (four) Rhetorical questions. Don’t they always spell a reprimand, such as, “Do you think I’m stupid or something?”
1. “Do you not know?” A call to understanding
2. “Have you not heard?” A call to listen
3. “Has it not been told (to) you from the beginning?” A call to remember your past/ your heritage/ your upbringing
4. “Have you not understood since the earth was founded?” A call to acknowledge creation and the creator
B. The answer is: [Where is God???]
1. High and lifted up (vv. 22)
a. Enthroned – As the King
b. So high above us that we are but grasshoppers to HIM
c. The heavens are his tent to live in – He is in the heavens, but larger than them, they merely a tent to HIM?
2. Sovereign Over all the Earth! (Vv. 23-24)
a. Over all the earth, in complete control!!
b. Not so far away as to have nothing to do with us!! Closer than we know!! [NOTE VERSES 23 & 24] He is at work in our world!
ILLUSTRATION: Jim Elliot, a missionary slain by the Auca Indians in the 1950’s, once said, “God is still on His throne and man is still on HIS footstool. There’s only a knee’s distance in between.”
ILLUSTRATION: I once heard of a poor single mom with two rambunctious sons. These boys were always doing what they were not supposed to do. One day the poor old preacher decided to help. He had the mom bring the boys into his office and then she returned home leaving the boys with the pastor. The pastor paced the room and asked the same question over and over again. “Where is God?” “Where is God?” “Where is God?” To this the boys cut out of his office and ran all the way home non-stop. When the boys got home their mother asked, “What did the pastor say to get you boys so startled?” The eldest replied, “They have lost God and they think we stole HIM!”
QUESTION #2 Vs. 25 FOLLOWED BY ANSWER #2 Vs. 26
II. WHO IS GOD? (VV. 25-26)
A. Question: Who is God? Vs. 25
1. To whom will you compare ME?
a. Is there another god?
b. What have you seen?
2. Or who is MY equal – Says the HOLY ONE!!
a. I am HOLY!! [Dig in here?]
b. There is no one like ME!
B. Answer: This is who I am!!
1. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Open you eyes, Can you see??? Are you Blind??? Creation is screaming at you!!
2. Who am I? Vs. 26
a. Who created all these: The stars, a question answered by a question, one of Jesus’ techniques!
b. He who brings out the starry host one by one!
1. I am the Creator!
2. I am the Almighty! I put out the stars, one by one. Who else can do that? Creator of all that is! [NOTE VERSE 26!]
3. I know all; I call them each by name! (MATTHEW 10:30 “AND EVEN THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED.”
3. I am all Powerful!!
a. Because of His great power, and mighty strength!!
b. Not one is missing; I am the protector/ sustainer of all that is! Note verse 26e!
ILLUSTRATION: [WHO IS GOD] A farmer printed on his weather vane the words “God is love.” Someone asked him if he meant to imply that the love of God was fickle as the wind. The farmer answered: “No, I mean that whichever way the wind blows, God is Love. If it blows cold from the North, or biting from the East, God is still love just as much as when the warm South or gentle West winds refresh our fields and flocks. God is always love.”
ILLUSTRATION: Little Suzie finished her prayer and said: Dear God, before I finish, I want you to take care of mommy, take care of daddy, take care of my sister and my brother please, God, take care of yourself, because if you don’t we’re all sunk. AMEN!
QUESTION #3 FOLLOWED BY ANSWER #3
III. DOES GOD CARE ABOUT ME? [Who is God and what does HE have to do with us?] VS. 27-31
A. Question: Does God Care about me?
1. Am I hidden from the Lord? Can He not see me?
2. Has He disregarded or discarded me?
B. Answer: God Cares!!
1. More rhetorical questions (VS. 28)
a. Do you not know? /Have you not heard?
b. Are you deaf and dumb?
2. Who am I, says the Lord?!!
a. The Lord is the Everlasting God!
b. The Creator of the Ends of the Earth
c. I do not grow tired or Weary. (Ps. 121 states in verse 4 that the Lord neither sleeps nor slumbers!)
d. My intellect you can’t even comprehend. I know it all. I have complete understanding!! [Verse 28^^^^]
3. But even more you ask: Do I (God) care about you?? VV. 29-31
a. I give strength to the weary
b. I increase the Power of the weak
c. Know this, (verse 30)
1. Even the young grow tired and weary!
2. Even young men stumble and fall!
d. BUT, Those who hope in me, Those who wait upon the LORD:
1. I will renew their strength
2. I will cause them to soar like Eagles
3. I will Give them strength to run and not grow weary, to walk and not faint!!!!!!
ILLUSTRATION: When her husband, Edmund Gravely, died at the controls of his small plane while on the way to Statesboro, GA, from Rocky Mount-Wilson airport, NC, His wife Janice kept the plane aloft for two hours until it ran out of fuel. During this time she sang hymns and prayed for help. As the plane crossed the South Carolina- North Carolina border, she radioed for help: “Help, help, won’t someone help me? My Pilot is unconscious. Won’t somebody help me?” Authorities who picked up her distress signal were not able to reach her by radio during the flight because she kept changing channels. Mrs. Gravely finally made a rough landing and crawled for 45 minutes to a farmhouse for help.
How often God’s people cry out for help to God, but switch channels before God’s message comes through. They turn to other sources for help, looking for human help. When we cry out to God for His intervention, We must not Switch channels!
ILLUSTRATION: I read about a woman who telephoned a friend and asked how she was feeling, “Terrible,” came the reply. “My head’s splitting and my back and legs are killing me. The house is a mess, and the kids are simply driving me crazy.” Very sympathetically the caller said, “Listen, go and lie down, I’ll come right over and cook lunch, clean the house, and take care of the kids while you get some rest. By the way, how is Sam?”
“Sam?” the complaining housewife gasped. “I have don’t know any Sam.” “My heavens,” exclaimed the first woman, “I must have dialed the wrong number.” There was a long pause. “Are you still coming over?” the stressed mom asked hopefully!
C. Do I care??
1. Yes I care about you
2. Yes I care about your enslavement, O children of Israel and XTN
3. I care about your whole life
4. I am here to help!! WILL YOU HOPE IN ME/ WILL YOU WAIT UPON ME??????????????????/
CONCLUSION:
We are in the race. It is up to us to finish the race. We can only finish with the help of God. Did we come only to begin? Or did we come to finish this race? Do you need the strength of the Lord? WAIT!! Look for and expect in and from the Lord! His promises are true! Lay your tithe in the StoreHouse and just see what He will do! Bank on God! You will be renewed and find new Strength – you will SOAR!! HOPE IN THE LORD!
CLOSING HYMN: 371 HAVE THINE OWN WAY LORD
