Behold our God, mighty and great
His power He’ll give to you
Look to the Lord, upon Him wait
Your strength He will renew
Behold our God, Himself He gives
He dies my sins to pay
He gives new power that I might live
For my Savior today
– From a sermon on Isaiah 40:27-31
(To the tune of “Amazing Grace”)
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
– Isaiah 40:27
Have you ever felt like that? Thought that? Said that?
My way is hidden from God. He doesn’t know what is going on? He doesn’t see?
Or worse – my right is disregarded. He doesn’t care.
Ever felt abandoned by God?
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted.
– Isaiah 40:30
Ever been faint? Weary? Exhausted?
Physically exhausted by sickness or disease or injury or just old age?
Mentally exhausted with all the things you are trying to keep track of?
Emotionally exhausted by grief or fear or anxiety – distressed, discouraged, depressed?
Or spiritually exhausted by temptations?
God has a word for us who are weak, weary, in need of strength, in need of God.
He calls us to behold our God (v28).
He is the everlasting God. He is the Creator God.
He is the never-tiring God. He is the all-wise God.
He is a great God, and this great God is the God of the weak.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
– Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the weak so that we might renew our strength,
and mount up with wings as eagles, and run and not be weary.
God gives us strength to do what is otherwise humanly impossible,
to overcome giants in our lives by his power,
to press on and endure great hardships in a supernatural way.
Our great God is the God of the weak who stoops down to help us,
to give us a power beyond ourselves.
And this power comes as we wait upon the Lord (v31).
We wait for the Lord with patience, trust, and expectation
that he will give his power to help us in our weakness.
We wait upon the Lord for strength in our sickness, disease, injury, or old age.
We wait upon the Lord for strength when we are overwhelmed.
We wait upon the Lord for strength in our grief, fears, anxieties, and discouragement.
We wait upon the Lord for strength in our temptations.
They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
Our great God is the God of the weak who gives power to those who wait upon him.
Will you wait upon the Lord today?
Behold our God who is greater
Our wise omniscient Creator
He is greater than all nations
Their idols, gods, and religions
Our God is big and we are small
He blows and pompous kings will fall
Look to the stars on cloudless night
Each one exists by His great might
So let us stand in awe of Him
And live our lives in light of Him
And in our tri-als trust in Him
With joyful hearts give praise to Him
– From a sermon on Isaiah 40:12-26
(To the tune of the Doxology)
Behold our God, our Strong Shepherd
Herald the news ‘til all have heard
He comes with might to save and bless
He tends His sheep with tenderness
Our Strong Shepherd, He came to earth
And to shepherds proclaimed His birth
And for His sheep, His life he gave
To grant us peace, from sin to save
Look to your God, rest in His care
Bring all your fears to Him in prayer
Walk with the Lord, your Shepherd know
Listen to Him, and then follow
– From a sermon on Isaiah 40:9-11
(To the tune of the “Doxology”)
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
– Isaiah 40:11
God cares for us like a shepherd.
He tends his sheep. He takes care of us. He feeds us – both physically and spiritually. He provides for us – like a parent provides for their child. He prepares a table before us.
He gathers his sheep in his arms and carries us close to him. When we can’t walk on our own, he carries us – close to his heart. He loves us.
And he leads his sheep. Not harshly, but gently. He leads us at the right pace, and to the right place. He leads us beside still waters that we might be refreshed. He leads us in the paths of righteousness – a good path to tread! At times he leads us through valleys, but he is always with us to help us. His rod and staff comfort us.
No matter what you may be facing this Christmas, remember that the Lord is your shepherd, and he will take care of you.
Comfort, comfort comes from our God
Who came and walked upon this sod
Who suffered death, cruel suffering
Great salvation for us to bring
Comfort, comfort comes from above
He gives His strength, His help, His love
His promises forever stand
We’ll dwell with Him at His right hand
– From a sermon on Isaiah 40:1-8
(To the tune of the “Doxology”)
We all need comfort – comfort in tragedy, crisis, loss, and sickness. Comfort in weariness, sorrow, and depression. Comfort in guilt and punishment. In Isaiah 40:1 we read, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” He is speaking to the Judah exiles in Babylon, but there is application for us. And in these first eight verses we see where we can find the comfort we need.
We find comfort in God’s love (v1-2). He calls us his people. He is our God. We have a relationship together. He wants to minister comfort to us. In verse 2, he speaks tenderly to us. He cares about us. He loves us. Despite our past sins and failures, we are his people. In the struggles of life, we need to know that God loves us.
We find comfort in God’s salvation (v2). One day our trials – our warfare or hard service – will be over. Our sins are pardoned in Jesus Christ. In our trials and in sins, we need to know that God saves us.
We find comfort in God’s coming (v3-5). God’s salvation doesn’t come from a distance, but as God comes to us. And so God came to rescue the remnant out of exile. And as the gospel writers make clear by quoting these verses, God came to earth as a man to save us by dying on a cross for our sins. And God comes to us as we repent and believe, and he causes us to be born again and applies the work of Jesus on the cross to our lives. And God will come one day to usher in a new heaven and earth. In our sin and our guilt, we need to know that God comes to save us.
Finally, we find comfort in God’s promises (v6-8). The words of men will fail, for men are like grass that fades away. But God’s Word will stand forever, and so we can trust in his promises to us – promises to be a refuge and strength in our suffering, promises to forgive us of our sins, promises that one day he will wipe away our tears and put an end to all suffering, sickness, sin, and death. In our suffering and sin, we need to know that we can trust God promises to help us.
We all need comfort. And that comfort is found in God – in his love, his salvation, his coming, and his promises. May God comfort you today!
Brian J. Mikul 