God’s performance in the waiting

…but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

There is an encouraging general promise here for those who “wait for the LORD”. This is one of those few “poster child” verses on the subject of waiting. It is popular as an athletic motivator. It was the “theme verse” for my Christian high school soccer team. I remember mentally quoting it on hill runs and on the daily workout routine while soccer season was going. We love the motivation to “run and not be weary” (even though we still get side stitches and cramping muscles!) 

But there is much more here than just a Nike commercial version of trusting in Jesus. In order to understand the promise of strength that comes as we wait on God, we need to see this verse as the strong conclusion to a much bigger message found in the fortieth chapter of Isaiah.

The bigger message of Isaiah 40 is tied to three bigger themes that are the message being preached to us: 1) God is our comforter (Isaiah 40:1-5); 2) Our lives are transient but God’s Word stands forever (Isaiah 40:6-8); and the biggest major point, 3) God’s power is great beyond description (Isaiah 40:9-31). It is within this message that the promise for “power as we wait” is given to conclude ALL these points. It isn’t at all about our ability to achieve by our own performance. It isn’t even about winning anything at all by our own efforts. It is every bit about God’s ability. We are just what He will choose to use… even in our weakness and weariness, to display His glory! I will run my life with these three thoughts in mind…

God displays His glory by comforting me. God comforts repentant sinners in sorrow and confession (Isaiah 40:1-2). God then repairs in me what sin damages so that His glory is clearly shown in my life (Isaiah 40:3-5).

God displays His glory through His everlasting Word in my brief existence. I am just summer grass, a wildflower blooming in a vast pasture that may briefly blaze into beauty only to eventually wither, brown, and fade. God’s Word is what will remain forever. I have my only hope and my only significance in centering this brief flowering existence around all that God says (Isaiah 40:8).

God displays His glory in all His actions toward me. He restores, rules, and rewards me (Isaiah 40:9-10). He leads me like a shepherd in love and wisdom (Isaiah 40:11). He controls all the physical universe AND all the nations led by people (Isaiah 40:12-17), and this implies nothing is an accident in my life either. He rules and overthrows human idols, even the ones I have foolishly followed (Isaiah 40:18-26). My questions ARE ANSWERED in waiting on the God Who does all this in my life (Isaiah 40:27-31). 

This is how Christians are empowered by waiting for the Lord. This is how I too can wait and find strength. When I know the God Who displays His glory ALL THE TIME, I can find in the waiting His glory revealed, and that will strengthen me to run on.