July 01, 2022 | Letters from the Lead Pastor by Brandon Lenhart
"Those 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." (Isaiah 40:31, NRSV)
Rooted in Isaiah's prophecies to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, this very famous verse of Scripture has been quoted by one generation after another for millennia as a means of encouragement and hope. But what does it really mean to wait?
A closer look at the Hebrew word translated in this verse as "wait," can also be translated as "to hope for," or "to trust." Thus, another rendering of this verse can be: "Those who trust (put their hope) in the LORD will find new strength..." What's interesting when the focus is put on waiting, or hoping, or trusting, is that all of these words point to the virtue of "patience." More than a virtue, however, patience is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit living in a person. It is a fruit produced in the life of one who is focused on the LORD and surrendered to His will. Not only is patience a product of a life surrendered to GOD, but it is also a daily practice required in the believer's life; it is a discipline to be lived out on purpose that does not come naturally.
Isaiah's audience desperately needed to hear this message, but sadly they turned a deaf ear to it and ultimately succumbed to their sinful ways rather than waiting/trusting/hoping in the LORD as their main source of strength. As a result, the people of Israel became so hard-hearted that instead of soaring, they plummeted. Instead of running, they grew weary because of the burden of sin they were under. And, instead of walking with their heads held high with confidence in the LORD, they fainted under the weight of rebellion against GOD's way of life for them as they tried to make their own way, on their own terms.
Though this passage of Scripture was written some 2700 years ago, its truth is still as applicable today as it was during the days of Isaiah. True freedom cannot be known apart from trusting in the LORD with all our hearts and not leaning on our own understanding. We must seek His will in all that we do so that we can truly see what path He desires for us to take (Proverbs 3:5-6). But this takes patience. GOD's timing is perfect, and all too often we are required to wait patiently on Him.
