Lord’s Day, Vol. 3 No. 31

The Secret of the Christian’s Strength

For the weary and faint-hearted Christian endeavouring to wait upon God and walk with Him through trials and tribulations of life, God promise to give him renewed strength and victory.

Isaiah 40:28-31 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. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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.

The everlasting God is the source of a Christian’s wisdom and strength. The universe that God has created is so vast that 10,000 light years of travel cannot fully reach its ends. It shows forth the magnificence of its Creator who transcends even such enormous time and space.

And our Creator God has condescended to reach out to the redeemed man by promising to endow him with the surpassing strength he would practically need in his daily life. The prophet Isaiah depicted this supernatural endowment from God like the eagle soaring majestically in a storm. By riding upon the winds, the eagle can reach speeds that it cannot achieve in normal weather. It is a description of overcoming strength that God gives to His people who would wait upon Him amidst their adversities.

How does the Christian find strength with God? It is in his quiet time with God. He longs to hear the voice of God speaking to him and looks forward to every opportunity of communion with God in prayer and in the meditation upon His Word.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. (Proverbs 8:34)

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. (Psalm 104:27)

Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. (Proverbs 27:18)

The man who waits upon God is not in a state of inactivity but actively following and serving Him.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. (Psalm 123:2)

The man who waits upon God tarries in the presence of God, praying unceasingly as our Lord Jesus taught, “man ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). It speaks of a quiet confidence and patience before our all-merciful God.

The word “renew” in verse 31 means “to change” or “to exchange”. We commit to God our cares and He carries them for us, providing us the best solutions.

The bible character Hannah was such a one. She pleaded before God to open her womb. The Bible says she spoke to God in her heart, no voice was heard. Eli the high priest thought she was drunken. Hannah replied Eli, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured my soul before the LORD”. After she prayed and committed her troubles to the Lord, the Bible says that she went her way, and did eat and her countenance was not sad anymore. She prayed through and wrestled with God in prayer and God gave peace in her heart.

She was no longer wearisome but trusted God to take charge and make a way for her when she committed the outcome to God. She submitted herself in faith, to God’s will.

The chorus “I Know the Lord will Make a Way for Me” is of great encouragement.

I know the Lord will make a way for me (2x)

If I look to Him in prayer,

Darkest night will turn to day,

I know the Lord will make a way for me.

May God’s strength be our daily portion. May His joy and peace fill our hearts as we seek to honour and glorify Him. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pr. Lek Aik Wee