Are you nearing the end of your rope?  Have you gone through difficulty after difficulty and you are getting worn out?  Does your heart and your flesh cry out in weariness?  If so, you are perfectly positioned to receive new strength from the Lord.

Today my body is at the end of its rope.   I took my daughter up to Raleigh over the weekend to see her boyfriend at N. C. State.  Saturday morning I felt a migraine coming on.  I took some meds and prayed.  Mid-morning we left the hotel and I took her to campus to hang out for a while with her man.  As the morning continued, I felt worse and worse…nauseous, weak, and near fainting.

Because my daughter was not comfortable driving in the city big (and in the rain!) I still had to drive us around.  And take us to lunch.  I had to function even though my body felt like it had been steam-rolled.   I was so relieved when we safely made it back to the hotel.  Then I took a long nap.

I did begin to feel better Saturday night, thank God.   On Sunday morning, I was exhausted, but felt stronger.  One of the things we did before we left Raleigh was go to the new Hunt Library on N. C. State’s Centennial Campus.  It is a big building, and there were lot of steps.  I watched the young and vigorous college students run up and down the steps, while I slowly dragged my worn out body along, holding tightly to the rail.  I could not ascend or descend the steps without holding on to the rail for dear life.  It was hard to feel so feeble at just 43 years old.

This morning as I woke up, I felt weary.  God, in His grace, reminded me of a scripture about those who feel weary.

He gives strength to the weary,  
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
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 40:29-31

What tickles me about this scripture is that God mentions that even youths will grow weary and tired and vigorous men will stumble badly. In my silly mind, I envision one of those young and virile college students falling down the steps at Hunt Library.  While he is tumbling  down, I envision myself walking down confidently, unaided by the rail, but held up by God’s strength.   I am walking down the steps like I did when I was an invincible 18 year old!

Do you feel like you need to be held up by God’s strength today while you ascend and descend the steps of life?  Do you need to hold on to the rail of God’s mighty strength and power?

If so, here’s what you do.  Are you ready for it?  It is amazingly simple:

Wait.

Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.

In the Hebrew, the word wait is also defined as looking expectantly for something.

So today, I encourage you to look expectantly for God.  As you go about your day, expect Him to be behind every corner.  Expect His goodness and His grace to come across your path all day.  Experience His love through those He sends to love and strengthen you.  And as you walk in His goodness, grace, and love, you will gain new strength.

Then, together, we will mount up with wings like eagles.  We will run and not get tired, we will walk and not become weary.

As we wait and look expectantly for the Lord, we will even outrun those young college students.  🙂

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