The Power of Waiting on the Lord
One of my favorite Scriptures, actually three, is found in Isaiah 40:29-31:
“He gives power to the faint & strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint & be weary, & the young will fall exhausted; but those who WAIT for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run & not be weary, they shall walk & not faint.”
— Isaiah 40:29-31, New Oxford Annotated Bible (NOAB)
The NKJV reads, "But those who WAIT on the LORD shall renew their strength."
The NIV reads, "But those who HOPE in the LORD will renew their strength."
All three translations express the idea differently: WAIT for, WAIT on, and HOPE in the Lord. These variations reflect the depth of what it means to rely on God. The key word, of course, is WAIT [Hebrew qâvâh: "to expect; look patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon)"].
Different Shades of Waiting
- Wait for the LORD: This implies confidence that God will not desert His people. It suggests waiting in favor of, or in purpose of, looking for a need at a specified time.
- Wait on the LORD: This implies service, like a waiter serving at tables. As we continue to serve Him—whether in military or civilian life—we are strengthened for what lies ahead.
- Wait upon the LORD: This means "on one’s person." Whether we "wait for," "wait on," or "hope in" the Lord, He is faithful to renew our strength.
Isaiah 40:28 declares:
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.”
These lines are central to the theme of Isaiah 40. The long years of Israel's captivity were exhausting, even for the youth born into it. Yet, the Lord noticed their spiritual fatigue. As they prepared to march homeward, the Lord promised strength to the faint.
Spiritual Strength Renewed
The contrast between Israel's weakness and the Lord's strength is profound. The imagery of the eagle’s flight embodies the power of faith. Psalm 103:5 echoes this: “Your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
When I was about to be released from prison after 5 years and 9 months, I felt powerless, weak, and hopeless. Though I had kept up my prayer life and Bible study, I was physically and mentally drained. But the Lord did strengthen me to face the outside world.
Psalm 103:5, in the LXX (Septuagint), interprets the verb as meaning "shall put forth wings," while the Vulgate reads similarly, "assument pennas." The Targum reads, "lift up their wings." Regardless, the force lies in the verbs describing God's power to renew us.
Israel’s Liberation and Our Own
The background of Isaiah 40 is the realization that God was at hand—the victories of the Persians made Israel's liberation from Babylonian captivity possible. Isaiah 40:1-2 speaks of God's compassion and urgency. The Lord had pardoned Israel’s sins, and they were going home!
That was Israel's story. Yet, Isaiah 40:29-31 applies to all of us who have been weakened, worn, torn, persecuted, and prosecuted in our Christian walk and spiritual warfare. Trials and tribulations can drain our spiritual strength and affect our physical vitality. But with His strength, we can start out crawling, then walking, then running, and finally flying like an eagle.
The inspiration from the Holy Spirit can cause us to soar like an eagle by WAITING for and upon the LORD. Our sufficiency comes from God, as 2 Corinthians 3:5 tells us.
The Endurance of Eagles
Even if we are sent to prison, as my wife and I were on "false charges," or spend time in mental elysium (bliss), we must continue to wait upon the Lord. Eagles live to a great age; they molt in old age, renew their feathers, and thus renew their youth.
Likewise, God renews our strength when we wait on Him. So, while you wait, witness and war for the souls of men and women. The Lord will renew your strength!
