Waiting On God

Isaiah 40 v 27 - 31 1. THE WEARINESS REVEALED. (a) The Signs of Fatigue.30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: In Homes, In Churches, In Workplaces. “We worship our work. We work at our play. And we play at our worship.” (b) The Sources of Fatigue. Our Tasks Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. Our Trials, Hebrews 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Our Troubles Psalm 78:9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. (c) The Solution for Fatigue. v. 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 2. THE WAITING RECOMMENDED. v. 31a. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; (a) The Contrast Declared. “But . . .” (b) The Condition Defined. “But they that wait upon the Lord.” Mark 6:30-32. And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” In Isaiah 40:31 the word “wait” “to bind together” (perhaps by twisting). The noun means a “rope” or a “line.” This seems to be the idea. When we present our fatigued life to God in obedient surrender it is like a small thread (us) that is wrapped around a steel cable (God) and because it is twisted around the cable, the thread is as strong as the cable. This is the “exchanged life.” I exchange my weakness for God’s strength. I exchange my misery for God’s joy. I exchange my slavery for God’s freedom. I exchange my foolishness for God’s wisdom. I exchange my poverty for God’s riches.

Certainly the act and attitude of waiting upon the Lord involves... Searching the Word of God. Seeking the fellowship of God. Surrendering to the will of God. Showing the glory of God. (c) The Consequence Descibed. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength A new energy to engage! A new power to perform! A new unction to function! Renewed strength for . . . Choices. Waiting is not a waste. Most of the exploits of the Christian life that are not sanctified by a season of waiting usually end up bringing reproach upon God’s cause. Challenges. The greater the challenge the longer we need to wait upon the Lord. Crises. When we are faced with spiritual, mental, emotional, domestic, even financial emergencies, mere physical and natural powers will not avail. Deut. 33:25 “As thy days, so shall thy strength be,” . 3. THE WELL-BEING THAT RESULTS, v. 31b.they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. youth soaring, middle age running and old age walking. God has strength equal to your age and your task. (a) Spiritual Rising. “Mount up with wings as eagles.” That’s soaring. eagles egg. (b) Strenuous Running. “They shall run and not be weary.” That’s surging. (c) Steady Routine. “They shall walk and not be faint.” That’s slogging.