TEXT:
‘But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind’ (Isaiah 40:31 MSG).
What a wonderful promise! How many Christians have taken encouragement from this verse to keep going when they feel bodily weak. God promises to renew our strength when we wait on Him. So, the secret to the receiving is in the waiting. In the garden of Gethsemane, the disciples were too tired and discouraged to stay awake, wait and pray, but Jesus did and experienced angels appearing to Him and strengthening Him (See Luke 22:43). In Psalm 71 there are three references to God’s strength, and these form the basis for Today’s Teaching.
1. Facing the reality of failing strength – ‘And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t forsake me now when my strength is failing’ (Psalm 71:9 TLB).
Failing strength is not just limited to old age, for the Bible says, ‘Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion’ (Isaiah 40:30 NLT). When I worked in healthcare sales, a common complaint from those I visited, was the lack of energy and the inability to do what they used to do, especially keeping the home and garden nice and tidy.
Moses was an exception for the Bible says that even when he was one hundred and twenty years old, ‘His eyesight was perfect and he was as strong as a young man’ (Deuteronomy 34:7 TLB). For most of us, however, we start noticing a deterioration in our health and energy levels at a much earlier time in life. When that happens, what can we do? Just wait for things to get progressively worse, or is there a better response?
2. The recipe to journey on again – ‘I will go in the strength of the Lord’ (Psalm 71:16).
The Bibles says, ‘But, they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength’. This enables them to keep going forward when their body wants to stop.
Praise the Lord for God’s “Buts”! Yes, we do lose strength; Yes, our health deteriorates; yes, we are aware we can’t do what we used to do, but we can all wait on the Lord and receive renewed strength!
David and his men returned from the battlefield to discover the enemy had raided their city and taken everything – wives, children, livestock and possessions (See 1 Samuel 30:1-19). David received the promise from God that if he pursued the enemy, he would recover everything. Two hundred of his men were too weary and upset to chase after the enemy, but the others, despite being just as weary and upset, kept going and recovered everything. Their strength had been renewed by the promise of God.
Elijah came to a halt because of fear and exhaustion, but a couple of meals prepared by an angel transformed his energy levels because, ‘He arose and went in the strength of that food, forty days and nights’ (1 Kings 19:8).
It’s possible for the natural to be transformed by the supernatural, so that we can run and not be weary, walk and not faint!
3. Your testimony to share with others – ‘O God, you have helped me from my earliest childhood—and I have constantly testified to others of the wonderful things you do. And now that I am old and gray, don’t forsake me. Give me time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about all your mighty miracles’ (Psalm 71:17-18 TLB)
The Psalmist had talked to others about God’s intervention in the past and he wasn’t going to stop talking. In old age, he wanted God’s enabling so he could keep on talking about God’s strength not only to the present generation but subsequent ones. While he had breath, he wanted to continue witnessing.
What about you? Have you allowed present day aches, pains, and low energy levels to bring your witnessing to a premature halt? In the past you freely and fearlessly shared your faith about the goodness of God, but as your natural strength began to fail, so your witnessing dried up. Now when someone asks you, “How are you?”, your response is all about you and God doesn’t get a mention!
I challenge you to start talking again to others about the Lord. Nothing is so revitalising as sharing your faith. It will do wonders for your aches and pains when you are able to talk to someone about Jesus.
Finally, the Bible says, ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might’ (Ephesians 6:10). A few verses later Paul writes, ‘Pray for me, too, and ask God to give me the right words as I boldly tell others about the Lord and as I explain to them that his salvation is for the Gentiles too. I am in chains now for preaching this message from God. But pray that I will keep on speaking out boldly for him even here in prison, as I should’ (Ephesians 6:19-20 TLB).
Let’s make sure our requests for prayer for personal strength to be renewed, are fuelled by the desire to keep on blessing others. Let the One who does not faint or grow weary impart renewed strength to you today!
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