”But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength…”
Isaiah 40:31
One of the most difficult situations a person can be in, is waiting. Waiting for what? Could be your order in a restaurant when you are really famished, waiting for your parents to get you that bicycle, phone, car, laptop, or whatever they might have promised you; even waiting for your results after an exam can be wearying, huh.
So, you see, waiting in general is not really one of the easiest and most natural things for humans to do, but in our walk with God, it is a system that we must buy into and learn its dynamics in order to receive from God.
Remember the story of Saul the king and Samuel the prophet? 1 Samuel 15:22
With emphasis on king and prophet. You see it is in the design of God that we wait for certain things, and these are sure to come if only we can wait.
Saul tried to offer a sacrifice designated to only the office of the prophet when he thought Samuel was taking too much time in getting things done, little did he know he was about to dethrone himself by hastily offering the sacrifice without God’s permission. His impatience cost him his kingdom. How sad.
When men lack strength, it becomes infinitely multiplied, the tendency to fail. God wants us to be patient in following him and receiving His promises made to us, for He is not a man that He should lie. The text above says, “…shall renew their strength…”, there is strengthening in the place of waiting. Strength is a sign of life, without strength there is only will without accomplishment. Strength is the force that translates will into action. Therefore, if we need strength for our bodies and our souls, then there are no shortcuts to getting strength from God outside of waiting.
The verse before it says, “even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall”. Who is stronger than the young man or woman, both in will and execution? They make up more than at least 60% of any powerful workforce and economy, this is to tell you that strength is in youthfulness. But here God is saying that even as strong as the youth may be, he still faints, can be weary, and can utterly fall!
He says but they that wait on me, that have decided to make me their first point of reference, that seek my face in honor and reverence, in expectation, as Hebrews 11:6,
“… for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”
Hallelujah! God wants us to seek him, knowing and believing he can reward, and will reward us no matter how long it may take; take our patriarch Abraham for example. This is faith!
Was waiting only an old covenant term? No, we find Jesus asking his disciples to wait (Acts 1:4), for the “promise of the Father”, which was the Holy Spirit, who came with power and has been working in and through believers ever since. Waiting is a system God uses in his kingdom for certain dimensions he wants to reveal to his children.
To wait is to be dependent, to submit. As believers, waiting for any and everything in God is our way of life. We need to be patient to receive strength for that sick body, for that financial breakthrough, for the working of the gifts of the Spirit in us.
We wait to receive, though it may be difficult especially when you can’t see through the rain, but as the old testament saints waited on God and he was able to do all that he said, even to the first coming of Jesus, so also must we the royal priesthood wait for the promises and times of refreshing that come from the presence of God, even unto the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul in Philippians 4:6, says,
“Be anxious for nothing…”
In a manner speaking, he is saying “wait”, because we know anxiety has to do with uncertainty and desperation; uncalm and uneasiness. But instead, he says to “pray and supplicate”, this is the ideal pathway for receiving and maintaining a blissful walk with God.
Next this verse says,
“… they shall mount up on wings as eagles;
They shall run, and not be weary;
And they shall walk, and not faint”- Isaiah 40:31
It is worth noting how this verse likings an experience peculiar to the eagle as an analogy of the possibility resident only through waiting upon the Lord. This is a further blessing only waiting can fetch us.
We can engage the experience of an eagle, flying majestically high above in the clouds. As we soar high above sicknesses, diseases, poverty, oppression, depression and any other name that tries to name itself above Christ, as we pull down strongholds and make everything subject to the knowledge of Christ. There are storms we could face, and it wasn’t hidden from us, Jesus said “in this world you shall have tribulation”, but our peace and victory comes in the place of waiting, where we soar above storms that try to bring us down and we are strengthened for the Lord’s work.
Next, it says,
”…they shall run and not be weary…”
Just as Elijah girded up and overtook Ahab in his chariot, we can spiritually run the race that is set before us and get the victory. Running is related to speed, being fast. When things are fast or happen swiftly, there is an air of encouragement and confidence. As fast as the Spirit runs with us, we shall run and not be tired, we’ll find ourselves accomplishing far more than we thought possible,
“…to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” – Eph 3:20
God is able to do his will both in and through us at his own pace and we can cope, if only we can wait.
The last part says,
“… and they shall walk and not faint…”
Oh, what joy to know that whether we are still growing in the basic things (first oracles) of God, or we have gained speed and a level of mastery, waiting is always a formidable tool in the hands of a believer. We shall walk in the light of his word and not faint. There won’t be a time when we grow weary and are tired of waiting on the promises because of the things that we see around us. We must always keep our eyes on the things that are above. No sickness, disease, pestilence, destruction, war, famine, or any weapon formed against us shall prosper, if we can master the powerful act of waiting upon the Lord.
Therefore, brethren whatever we do, in whatever way it may be, waiting on God can bring tremendous blessings, help for our time of need, and mercy from the throne of grace. Therefore, let us wait upon the Lord and renew our strength!