Power to the Faint
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Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
This belief, this absolute trust in God is the only way so many great people have endured unspeakable pain and suffering. I think of those in concentration camps. Their faith is all they had—literally all. They had stripped from them every possession, every family member, every shred of human dignity—every ounce of humanity itself. And yet they survived. And I refer again to Mother Theresa who worked tirelessly ministering to the least and the lost of India. She never faltered, never turned away anyone. She walked with them and lived with them, and ministered not only to their spiritual needs but to their physical needs as well.
And how about Pope John Paul II? No matter what you think of his theology, he was an amazing man! He kept going even as his health declined. The Parkinson’s surely made it a struggle just to get up in the morning, let alone to travel and maintain a busy schedule until the very end of his life. This great man – though leader of the Catholic Church – embraced those of every faith! I heard one interview by a man who became the maestro to the Pope and lead musical performances at the Vatican for many years. He was a Jew. He shared that when he met John Paul, he didn’t practice his religion. But over the years, he became more and more devout, eventually becoming an Orthodox Jew. When asked if the Pope ever tried to convert him, he said no. He believed that what mattered to him was that one have “faith.” And that one practiced that faith, and lived a live worthy of God. There are countless other tales like this, and even some of spontaneous healings just from being in his presence.
What about us? Do we allow the world to wear us out and wear us down? I must admit it happens to me! We may not have the same scope of influence as these individuals, but we can have the same depth of faith. And we can have the same impact on the lives of others by how we live our lives. When we draw upon and seek the power of the Holy Spirit, that power pours out of us to others in our world. That’s the power that allows us to be like these notables. And just as these “famous” people impacted the world, so can we when we rely upon God’s power and might and strength.
Alone we can do very little. With God’s power, with the grace granted us through His Son, and the fortitude and energy afforded us through the Holy Spirit, we can set this world on fire! We can mount up with wings like eagles. What a glorious vision! To soar above the pain and sin and suffering of this world and to know that we are God’s ambassadors in the world and the channel of hope through the message of the Risen Savior—I can think of nothing more humbling and also exciting!
When we have reached our end, God is just beginning! When we think we can'r go on one more minute, we only need look to the Cross. When we feel our lives are meaningless and ineffectual, we only need to summon the Holy Spirit, and this Trinity will bolster us, empower us, and energize us to assume our mission in the world.
I hope today you call upon the Triune God as you minister to your world. And that you renew your strength as you wait on the Lord.
Mary
