Intentional 21 Devotional: Day 3 - Pastor Franklin Aytes

God Strong: Strengthened as You Wait 

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31 NKJV - “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…” 

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to wait? 

Waiting on God is hard. I would be lying if I said that it was easy. But one thing is for sure, every Christian must endure seasons of waiting. There will be moments where we will pray and ask God to fulfill a specific request or a promise but He will challenge you to wait. Today’s reading comes from Isaiah 40:31. Israel was in exile. They had ignored God’s law, fallen into idol worship, and rejected the prophetic warnings to repent from previous prophets. 

What was the result? Out of his love for them, God disciplined them. During this season of correction, they were discouraged, exhausted, and ashamed. Many of them may have wondered “has God abandoned us?” Have you ever wondered if God has abandoned you? Have you ever wondered if you have reached your end? Like, maybe things will never get better or never change? 

But God, who is full of mercy and grace, chooses to speak. He sends the prophet Isaiah with a cryptic message of hope. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…” - Isaiah 40:31 

The Hebrew word for the word “wait” is qāwâ (הָקוָ( . It means to “wait” with expectation. God was not telling Israel to wait passively. He was challenging them to place their faith in God and expect His intervention. He wanted them to trust Him again as they waited. It also means to “bind together.” The word implies strength. In Hebraic thought, this is a picture of two strands of fabric being twisted together and pulled tight. When a strand of fabric is by itself, it is weak, brittle, and breakable. But when multiple strands of fabric are twisted together, it becomes strong, powerful, and fortified. 

God was saying: By yourself, you are weak. But when you trust and bind yourselves to Me, you will be strong and fortified. You will be able to soar above issues like eagles and receive endurance for the journey. 

Remember this: God will never ask you to wait on Him, without providing His supernatural endurance. 

How is your heart as you wait on God? Is it full of faith? Or is it full of fear? 

Engagement: Praise God as you wait on Him. Meditate on His lovingkindness as you expect His intervention. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you for another day. I want to confess that it has been hard to be patient in this season of waiting and I have been tempted to look for hope in the wrong places. But, Jesus, I trust you. I will praise you for your goodness as I wait on you. I love you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.