"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 (NIV).
The saying "Delay is not denial" is familiar to most of us. Few people would cherish a delay- particularly when out on a journey to get somewhere important in time. It can be frustrating though when having set out full of hopes, only to find yourself held back due to some unaticipated obstacles. Of course those who are not patient enough would easily give up, perhaps full of curses for being led on an apparent wild goose chase.
When the Israelites left Egypt they were full of anticipation of reaching the land of "milk and honey" in no time. Well, it just didn't work out that way. Along the way they hit a snag and what was thought to be a walk over would ultimately take 40 years to reach the Promised land. While this might at first glance appear quite harsh, yet upon reflection the long walk through the desert was important to prune out certain impatient elements. Once when "the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him" (Exodus 32:1).
Long story short it is the very faithful who survived. And just as they were about to enter the land they had longed for, Moses, waved and brought to their attention, "I have led you forty years in the desert. Your clothes did not wear out. And your shoes did not wear out on your feet. You did not eat bread, or drink wine or strong drink, so you might know that I am the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 29:5-6). All that delay had been for a purpose to bring those who loved God closer to him!
You too might have set out on a journey with a certain time clock. Things have not moved to plan. There has been a detour down a winding path. You seem to have lost it all. Well, the truth is God never left you, at all. Has it occurred to you there was something good he was working in your life! For sometime that is what it is, until God finishes his work, the Promised land can wait.
So friend, however long it takes, stay the course. One day it will all come together.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, through the apparent delays of life, I wait on you, for you never fail and always have a beautiful purpose for me, this I pray in Jesus's name.
Related upcoming events
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
