God Almighty and Generous (Isaiah 40:28-29)
- Candice Watters
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
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. ²⁹He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. —Isaiah 40:28-29
A week after I graduated from college (34 years ago) I moved to Washington, D.C. to take an internship on Capitol Hill. The night before I set out on the 8-hour drive–with only a paper map and a lot of fear and trembling–my parents invited friends from church to a prayer meeting at our house. They wanted me to go well supplied into adulthood. I still remember the way those prayers buoyed me, reminding me that God was going ahead of me; I would never be alone. One prayer in particular stood out, it was Isaiah 40:28-31.
I was afraid, anxious, and overwhelmed. I knew I wasn’t up to the challenge in my own strength. I wasn’t even sure I’d have the courage to drive away in the morning. But this prayer pointed me away from my weakness, my anxieties, and my fears–toward God. Isaiah glories in God’s attributes. God is eternal, self-existing, omniscient, and generous. He gives to His children from His infinite supply. There is no lack in God. None. There could not be a starker contrast with our weakness.
All those years ago God’s omnipotence comforted me. His sovereignty was bedrock under my feet. My friend’s prayer from Isaiah 40 was a lifeline. It reminded me, when he prayed it–and in the days and months that followed–that I needed only to turn my eyes away from myself and look to God.
God strengthens some
Everyone needs God’s help, but not everyone will get it. Notice that Isaiah says God “gives power to the faint” and strength to “him who has no might.” When we adopt the toddler pose that insists I can do it by myself, we cut ourselves off from the grace that God offers to the weak. It takes humility to admit our need for help–especially in a DIY culture that idolizes the self. But that is where strength is to be found.
Scripture says “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, Proverbs 3:34). 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” And Isaiah 66:2 says, “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”
The best thing you can do when you are weak is cry out to God for help.
Whatever your troubles, the answer is the same: look to God. His grace is sufficient for every situation. There is nothing you are facing that is a surprise to the all knowing God. You can have no lack that He cannot fill, no heartache that He cannot mend. We may never know why things are happening when they are, or the way that they are because God’s understanding is unsearchable. But it is utterly trustworthy.
When you’re in doubt, remind yourself of God’s power, wisdom, goodness, love, justice, mercy, all-sufficiency, and sovereignty. When you think, People have let me down, let Isaiah’s questions answer your fears: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God!
You: I’ve made a mess of my relationships. I’m burdened with illness, debt, and troubles.
Isaiah: Have you not known? Have you not heard? God gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.
You: I don’t know what to do.
Isaiah: Have you not known? Have you not heard? God’s understanding is unsearchable.
You: My plans aren’t working out.
Isaiah: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God is the Creator of the ends of the earth!
If you belong to Christ, this God–the everlasting Creator of the ends of the earth–is for you (Romans 8:31). Whatever your circumstances, pay attention to this God. When you are weak, He is strong.
For Reflection
What circumstances cause you to fear?
Where are you tempted to look for comfort when you’re under stress: eating, gaming, scrolling, shopping, etc.?
Ask God to help you look to Him–the source of steadfast love–and not to vain idols (Jonah 2:8).
Candice Watters is the editor of Fighter Verses and contributor to Truth78's webinars. She and her husband, Steve, lead the VBS ministry for their church in Louisville, KY. They are the co-authors of Start Your Family: Inspiration for Having Babies and have four grown children.
