Wait For It

We’re thrilled to hear from Vicki Weimer this week! You can learn a bit about her by stopping by the contributors page.

When a new missionary family recently joined our ministry, I got a great gift in their little three-year-old. My new church buddy follows me everywhere with a constant stream of toddler lingo. I love it. A few days ago, he “helped” me in my office as he likes to do.

We performed a bit of triage on a well-worn plastic sleeve holding some Sunday school flashcards by placing about a dozen strips of white nursing tape on the ripped side of the sleeve. After I cut the tape and positioned it on the plastic, he pushed the tape down with his little fingers.

The tricky part for him was waiting until I was ready for his help. About a dozen times, I slowly said, “Wait,” to keep him from pushing the tape too early. Three-year-olds have trouble waiting, and so do I. 

The ancient prophet encourages us ,“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 KJV). This familiar verse appears on bookmarks and in Bible studies. Songs and poems based on this verse have encouraged believers for generations. This ancient verse only ends the encouragement, though.

To preface his encouragement, Isaiah asked, “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” (Isaiah 40:27). In other words, God’s people thought that He did not see what was happening to them. They thought that God did not treat them fairly or bring timely justice. 

Truthfully, I have said the same. “God, do You not see what happened? When will You finally make it right? I’m tired.” Then Isaiah chides them (and me) a little. “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength” (Isaiah 40:28-29).

Our God, the Creator of all, the everlasting Lord of everything cannot faint, but He can give power to us when we do.  We have to wait for it, though. When we think that God does not see or that He has not dealt with us quickly enough, we can try to get recognition or even retribution for injustice in our own strength.

But the prophet warns, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall” (Isaiah 40:30). We cannot push through our trial even with the zeal of youth. Only after waiting, can we have renewed strength to fly, run, or simply walk. 

Like my little buddy, I am still learning this lesson. Wait for it.