They knew the Lord’s promises, but they were weary. They desired freedom, but their circumstances left them trapped. They were God’s beloved, yet they felt hopeless, neglected, forgotten. They had spent decades in exile.
Would the Lord fulfill His promise? Would He show up and deliver them? How long would they have to wait?
Seeing their pain and doubt, God sends Isaiah to speak words of comfort over His people:
“but those who trust in the Lord
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not become weary,
they will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
What a beautiful picture of God’s grace; His love reaching down from Heaven, encouraging human hearts that can’t see past their current situation. I can almost feel the breath of God on these words—a reassuring exhale from the Lord over the Israelites, filling them with hope:
I see you, my children. Let me be your strength as you wait. Trust me. I am coming. I will set all things right.
I don’t know about you, but I need these comforting words and reminders—a lot. I can know in my head that God is in control, but sometimes the overwhelming and harsh realities of life can make my heart forget.
I love my kids, but I am weary. I desire freedom and joy, but I often feel trapped in shame and disappointment. I know I am God’s beloved, but I feel lonely, overlooked, unappreciated.
How long, Lord, will I have to wait for my child to finally listen? When will you show up and relieve us from this pain, this financial stress, this overscheduled life we are leading? How long do I have to wait?
I see you, my child. Let me be your strength as you wait. Trust me. I am coming. I will set all things right.
It was His whisper to the Israelites, and it’s His whisper to us now. Advent is perhaps the most beautiful example of what it means to wait on the Lord—an intentional space in time when we honor the waiting and linger on God’s goodness, knowing that He always delivers on His promises in the most glorious and unexpected ways. It’s a time when we pause and celebrate the giver of the gift before the gift even comes.
Whatever you are waiting on today—an unanswered prayer, an answer, or even a moment of peace—take comfort in knowing that we serve a God who sees and cares. He knows the waiting is hard; He knows the anticipation isn’t always joyful, no matter how much tinsel we add or wrapping paper we use. Hear His whisper. Trust in His promises.
God is our hope because He is the gift giver, but He is also our comfort because He is Immanuel, God with us. We serve a trustworthy Father who reaches down from Heaven and promises to fill us with His power and His strength as we wait. And then He delivers. Every.single.time.
Let our weary hearts rejoice:
He is coming. He will set all things right.