November 11, 2013
Isaiah 40:28-31
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
So are you now or have you ever experienced any problems in your life? Are you a human being? If you answered ‘Yes’ to the last question, then you have experienced problems! Eliphaz the Temanite said it in Job 5:7: “…man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” The last time I checked, sparks from a fire “fly upward!” So troubles do come. That’s part of living! The issue then is, How To Handle Problems. Some ‘sage’ said, “When in trouble, when in doubt; run in circles, scream and shout!” Yeah, that is how a lot of people seem to handle their problems. But the Bible tells us of a better way in Isaiah 40:28-31:
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord,
the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His under-
standing is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak; and to those who
have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be
weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on 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.
Read again that last clause: “…but those who wait on 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.” There are four promises here:
• They “…shall renew their strength….” When we are faced with problems, one of the common heart-cries is, “O Lord, I need strength to get through this!” This says God has already given us a measure of strength, and – in light of the problem we are facing – He will renew it. One of my favorite verses is Deuteronomy 33:25: “…as your days, so shall your strength be.” In other words, God will give you the strength to match the situation – the problem – you are facing!
• “…they shall mount up with wings like eagles….” An eagle flies high. And from that vantage point, the terrain below looks different. How different would our problems look if we could view them from high up? How different would our problems seem if we could look at them through God’s eyes?!
• “…they shall run and not be weary….” Yes, sometimes it takes quite awhile to get through the situation at hand. This is the “run” that is referred to here. It is not a sprint, but a marathon. That’s also the idea in Hebrews 12:1 where it says, “…run with endurance the race that is set before us….” The promise is the strength to run without getting worn out!
• “…they shall walk and not faint.” I can’t run anymore. I used to enjoy a long run, but with two knee replacements, I can’t do that now. But I can walk! And I walk an average of 30 to 40 miles each week! Sometimes running is out of the question. But walking is an option. This promise says we can walk without giving out, walking until we are home and are able to rest!
So what is the condition to experience these four promises when we are facing a problem? It is for “…those who wait on the Lord….” You see, God never loses strength. He also is “…the Most High God…” (Daniel 5:21 and ten other verses), and He sees problems from above. He is in it for the long haul, and He never tires, whether running or walking. If we “…wait on the Lord…”, He will see to it that we are given those qualities To Handle Problems.
How do we “…wait on the Lord…”? The key is in verse 28 of our scripture: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? ” The means to hear and know are right before us. Almost everyone – especially in the western world – has access to a Bible. The Bible is how you ‘hear’ and ‘know’ both who God is and what He will do for you as you try To Handle Problems! Why do we neglect the Word of God? It will not only inform us so we can know what God can do, it will also produce in us those qualities we need To Handle Problems!
Read your Bible! Study your Bible! Memorize pertinent verses in your Bible! Meditate – or think about – the truths you discover in your Bible! This will help you to know both who God is and what He can do. And He surely can help you learn How To Handle Problems!