Good Morning,
Isaiah 50:10-11; "Who is among you who [reverently] fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor [in his heart]? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God. Behold, all you [enemies of your own selves] who attempt to kindle your own fires [and work out your own plans of salvation], who surround and gird yourselves with momentary sparks, darts, and firebrands that you set aflame! —–WALK BY THE LIGHT OF YOUR SELF-MADE FIRE AND OF THE SPARKS THAT YOU HAVE KINDLED [for yourself, if you will]! But this shall you have of My hand, you shall lie down in grief and in torment."
As we trust the Lord and lean on Him, we must remain on the path that He has planned for us and not try to create our own plan of deliverance. You see when we try to work our own plan we end up being our own worst enemy. Anything that we could produce would be momentary and not lasting, and bring more grief and sorrow in our lives. Creating more troubles than we could imagine. When the pressures of life squeezes us, we must learn how to wait with expectation and maintain our joy. God is always working on our behalf. He will deliver those who trust and depend on Him. His plans for you will succeed. Have you ever tried to light your own fire and lead yourself out into the light? I have, and every time, I ended up having to eventually learn to wait on God to clean up my double-sized mess, and give me night vision glasses to see through the darkness I created. You know what I mean! Quite often we can see ourselves being portrayed through the pages of the Word of God, for human nature hasn't changed much (unless, we learn to yield and trust), and even those times that people trusted in God thoroughly, have been penned in the Word for our benefit too.
Isaiah 40:25-26; – "To whom will you compare Me? Who is My equal? asked the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after the another, calling each by its name. Because of His great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing." Now, I have not created any stars of late, and this is the God, who desires to light my fires, plan my life, and rescue me. I know that I haven't found any equal with skin on, have you? I believe I will allow Him to show me the way and deliver me from all my troubles. Verses 27-31 (Isaiah 40) – "O Jacob {put you own name here}, how can you say that the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you ever understood? The Lord is the Everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fail in exhaustion." Now, think on that, if you are tired as you are standing to see your deliverance, God has promised to give you strength. You may be saying. I am weak, and I can't do this. God's reply to you is, everyone may get tired, even the youngest and the strongest (whether in faith, age or physically). He is constantly renewing our strength, that is called His grace. His ability to cover our inabilities, that is simply His grace. But listen to the requirement for this supernatural ability of grace being placed on our natural inabilities. "But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for,and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not faint or become tired."
As we learn through our troubles, tests, and trials, to yield to God's grace and trust His light to lead us out, we shall be changed and renewed in our strength and power. Shall means will have; must and will be able; can; it is used to express what is inevitable or what seems to be fated or decreed to happen in the future. As we trust and wait on God, it is inevitable, and it is decreed to happen for us. We will increase in power and strength and we will succeed. The requirement is for us to wait on Him. Wait means to expect, look for, and hope in God; it also means to bind together by twisting; to collect, gather together; to patiently tarry. A vital part of our waiting is the attitude behind the waiting. Are you expecting and looking for your change, as you wait? Are you patiently tarrying, which means with joy and peace in your heart. Knowing that the God of creation who knows all of the stars by name, has got you covered, with His amazing grace, His very own ability is given to you, in the waiting. So, go ahead and lean on Him, He will not get tired or weary of you trusting Him. Oh yes and by the way, as you wait are you twisting, binding and collecting together all of these truths that concern you. That you are never alone, and that God is your Deliverer, your Provider, your Shade of protection from the heat, your very own Refuge, your Stronghold, your Way, and the Lover of your soul. Who could ask for anything more? Haven't you heard, have you not known, that the Lord never grows weary?
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 