The Lighthouse Devotional
Author: Ashley Jemmott
SCRIPTURE VERSE
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isa 40:31NIV).
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Being a student of anything is never easy—late nights, concentrating for countless hours, the pressure of assignments and examinations. Currently, I am spending most of my time reading and studying, and I have grown weary and tired. Students and non-students alike experience situations that drain their strength in almost every way. However, reading the entirety of Isaiah 40 has put things into perspective for me, and I encourage you to do the same.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Isaiah 40 begins with Jerusalem’s restoration following the Israelites’ punishment for their sins. God promises to reveal His glory to them (40:5), and He instructs Isaiah to cry out the good news to the people all over Judah (40:9). Henceforth, Isaiah demonstrates the power and strength of God (40:10ff.), which puts God into right perspective. He is far above and superior to humanity, which can make us feel small in comparison, and it should. However, this big God chooses to come near His creation within these few verses. He is a shepherd protecting and caring for those that belong to Him (40:11), and despite the Israelites’ complaints that God has abandoned them, God still shows them that He is the Eternal God who can and willingly cares for them.
EXHORTATION
Like the Israelites, we sometimes complain that God does not hear us, and we feel like we are running on fumes. However, let us remember that God does not ignore our problems and concerns. He does not grow weary and can handle all of our circumstances (40:29). We must hope in the Lord; we must wait for Him. Indeed, we will grow tired; therefore, we require the supernatural strength that only God can provide. A speaker at a recent church service pointed out that hope is an action, and we must exercise it in several ways: (i) through confession of our sins, which is hope in God’s forgiveness; (ii) through lament, which is the recognition of the fallenness of the world but hoping in God who still acts in it; and (iii) through giving and receiving God’s love which is sharing the hope we have in Christ.
PRAYER
To the everlasting God, Creator of the ends of the earth, thank You for being God, who knows the stars by name (40:26) but still works in our situations. Help us put our hope in You and into action, doing the work You have called us to do while waiting for You. We pray that You will renew our strength today and every day. In Jesus’ holy and precious name, we pray, Amen.