A Great God For Difficult Times

In the midst of deep stress, Isaiah the prophet, had a winning perspective: he looked at how great God was instead of how big his problems were. In Isaiah 40 he asks “To whom then, will you compare God?” His answer describes some of the magnitude of who God is:

(1) God measured the waters of the earth in the hollow of His hand (40:12).
(2) He weighed the mountains on the scales (40:12).
(3) He spreads out the heavens like a tent to live in (40:22).
(4) He created the heavens and calls each of the stars by name (40:26).

With a God of this magnitude, we wonder “Is my way hidden from the Lord?” (40:27). To us that means, "Does He really care; does He know what is happening to me and now difficult it is?" One of our problems is that we bring God down to our level and think of Him as either forgetful or tired.

Isaiah, however, affirms that God knows and He does care. He has no limits; He never tires – even of listening to our concerns. In fact, instead of His not understanding our problems, we are the ones who do not understand His ways (40:27,28)

Isaiah encourages us by saying that God multiplies abundantly our strength when we feel weak and unable to cope (40:29). He reminds us that the God who upholds the stars also supports His weary people. The verb in verse 31a suggests that He exchanges His strength for our weakness. At the close of the chapter the exceptional flying and running do not require as much strength as does the constant day by day walking – for the every day walk demands an ever-flowing stream of grace which He is sufficient and willing to supply. Ask Him today for His strength – He loves to lavish His power on those who ask.

Trusting Him, Bob