Verse of the Day Devotion: Isaiah 40:31 

“Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” – Isaiah 40:31   

Chapter 40 of Isaiah is a chapter of comfort for God’s people.   The reason this comfort was necessary was due to a meeting King Hezekiah had with Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon; followed by the prophecy given by Isaiah.  Hezekiah gives Baladan a tour of his place.  “Hezekiah was pleased, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and his whole armory and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.” Isaiah 39:2.  Hezekiah showed Baladan everything he could, including all their treasures and the spices and precious oils, plus the armory where all the weapons were stored. 

This was not a good idea because it let Baladan know how they could profit if they took Israel, and Isaiah points this point to Hezekiah.  “Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, what did these men say, and from where have they come to you?  And Hezekiah said, they have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.  He said, “What have they seen in your house?  So Hezekiah answered, They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.” Isaiah 39:3-4.  Isaiah then declares the prophecy.  “Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left, says the LORD. And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Isaiah 39:6-7.

This prophecy from Isaiah no doubt caused distress withing Israel.  Therefore, God calls for Isaiah to bring comfort to Israel.  “Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God. Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the LORD’S hand Double for all her sins ” Isaiah 40:1-2.  Israel’s warfare has been completed and her iniquities have been removed.  She will, at this time, be at peace.  However, Israel feels that God has left them.  “Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.” Isaiah 40:27-29.  He is pointing out that God is always seeing them, He does not become weary and His understanding is assured.  He knows what they are going through and gives them the strength they need.

He then tells them even though the strongest and most fit young men become tired in their labor, and those selected as the bravest, and most vigorous and manly become weary in their duties, “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31.  God is not contingent on anything.  He does not grow tired or find Himself in a position where He cannot do something like man does.  But those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.  To wait on the Lord is to have complete dependence on God, knowing He will come through to deliver them, and to admit that help can come from nowhere else but Him. 

And those who wait on Him will renew their strength; physical, emotional, and mental.  God will give them the strength they need; therefore, they can be free like an eagle who has molted its old feathers and have grown healthy new one.  They will have the endurance to do what He has prepared them to do.  However, only if they wait on God.

And it is the same for us.  If we encounter a situation that is difficult and wonder how we will make it through, we should simply give it to God and wait for Him, who is faithful to bring us through.  We can do our part, essentially those things we can do, but let God guide us through to victory.  It does no good to stress about things we cannot resolve.  By giving it to God, we can be at peace as He brings us through to a good end.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.