
The prophetic words of Isaiah declared that a Savior would come and take up our infirmities (Matt. 8:17). The Greek word for infirmity means negation of strength. In our lack, weakness and weariness, we need renewal and replenishing – the strengthening of the Lord. He takes up our weakness, pouring in his life, and we are fortified.
Sometimes this comes all at once, a fresh infusion of his strength and replenishing that we sense, or a Scripture that particularly speaks to our heart and in a new way lifts us up. Sometimes his strengthening comes more gradually as we persist in prayer and faith, being reinvigorated with divine life flowing into us.
Among other things, this fortification brings:
--greater endurance and patience (Col. 1:11),
--restoration after suffering, making us firm and steadfast (1 Pet. 5:10),
--encouragement to inherit the land that is ours (Deut. 3:28),
--edification to establish good fruit (2 Thess. 2:16-17),
--a sense of the ability to live in security (Zech. 10:12),
--deep joy (Neh. 8:10).
So, what does it mean to have our strength renewed? We see a picture of this in Isaiah 40:31 – soaring as eagles, running without tiring, walking without lagging. The key to receive his strengthening? Waiting on the Lord! In Hebrew the word for wait is quavah which means to plait, to intertwine. As we remain in a position of trust, we keep intertwining his words with our trust, choosing to hold fast to him. While we wait, we don’t wane or languish, we actually gain new strength. When we have no strength, we can wait on him knowing his fresh strengthening is on the way. Indeed, “It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace” (Heb. 13:9).
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