Strength to Endure Anything.

                         

Great Basin Bristlecone pines are remarkable for being the oldest non-clonal species on the planet. The oldest tree is more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest known living thing. The tree is a testament to the extraordinary abilities that exist within the plant kingdom.  Sitting on a lonely mountainside, it is a non-descript natural wonder of the world hidden in plain sight.

When researchers initially began studying the Bristlecone pines, the longstanding belief was that in order for something to live for thousands of years, it must live in a near perfect environment with plenty of water, ample nutrients and protection from the elements. However, the Bristlecone Pines were not living in the pristine environments. In reality, it was quite the opposite.

These trees generally compete poorly in less-than-harsh environments, making them hard to cultivate. In gardens, they succumb quickly to root rot.  They do very well, however, where most other plants cannot even grow. These ancient trees are typically found on barren mountainsides that receive very little rainfall, have little-to-no soil for nutrients and have excruciatingly long and cold winters.

They are impacted by wind, snow loads, earthquakes and other instabilities. They continue to grow no matter what. They have evolved means of defeating the forces that threaten to topple them. They grow slowly, which results in dense wood that's resistant insects and decay.  The brutal environment itself is actually a large part of their success. It prevents competition from other plants. The rocky landscape protects them from rampant wildfires.

Isaiah 40 was written to Israel just before the Babylonian captivity. Isaiah foresees prophetically what they would feel. He asks “Why do you say, Jacob and you assert, Israel, “Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel, “my way is hidden from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable” (Isa. 40:27-28).  

Psalm 11:4 says “the Lord sits on his throne in Heaven. He sees what people do; he keeps his eye on them”.  God told Ezekiel “have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land ” E(Ezek 8:12). God never misses a thing , so he is well aware of Israels plight. God has perfect insight into your life too. He understands things about you that you do not understand about yourself.

God is everlasting; he is not bound to the present, as human beings are. He has no beginning or end, he was there before Genesis, he is here today and will be there after Revelation. David said “from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him (Ps.103:17). The God of Israel is our God. Like Israel we sometime get anxious over impending trouble. We pray "Lord will you be there when I need you?" He says "I was there before you were here and I'll still be here after you are gone."

In Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 Solomon wrote “what has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! this is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” When we find ourselves in perplexing situations we ask “Lord, have you seen this before?” The everlasting God says “I’ve seen it many times.”

God is the Creator of the ends of the earth. He is not restricted to only one locale at a time. He sees the entire universe in panoramic sweep and in the minutest detail. No problem can be too great for him; because he designed everything, he can fix everything.  He does not faint or grow weary. “Weary” is what happens when you work to the point of exhaustion. People can get weary of our constant request for help but he never gets weary no matter how many times we go to him for help.

God’s understanding is unsearchable. The Creator of all things knows everything about his complex creation. In verse14 Isaiah connected the Lord's "justice" and "understanding," showing that because the Lord understands, he is able to pass judgment perfectly. He is like a judge whose decisions are beyond question, so Israel will receive justice. His ways and timing are perfect even though beyond Israel's capacity to discern. The Lord’s wisdom is inscrutable; we must never expect to understand all his ways.

God gives strength to the weary and to the one who lacks might he increases power (Isa. 40:29). He does not become weary, but his people do.  To become weary is to weaken under some form of pressure. To lack might is to be without inner resources to respond to the pressure. God gives his people endurance in hard times. He also gives them the ability to do what needs to be done in the moment of crisis.

Israel would become weary and require resources within herself to live successfully in captivity. But, God would give them the strength, might and power that they will need. God can make the weakest and most feeble saint into a power house when they simply look to Him for strength. His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). We buckle under life's pressures because we lack innate strength; but God’s infinite strength is at our disposal.

Young men shall fall exhausted but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength (Isa. 40:31).  Isaiah uses young men as an emblem of strength. The young people keep on going long after the old ones have fainted or given up. But they too cannot go on forever, they eventually get weary and give way. Human strength and endurance has a limit.  Even the mightiest oak will crash to the ground if you hit it in just the right spot.

The word "wait" contains within it the concept of hope. It means to wait confidently for something. Hope allows us to envision and imagine a better future, bringing feelings of positivity and optimism. The Israelites in captivity were to wait for the Lord to administer justice and fulfill his promise to liberate and vindicate them. This would give them new strength day by day. Confidence in God’s eventual deliverance will give then strength to endure captivity and even flourish within it.

Waiting for the Lord is the highest expression of our faith. Those who wait in faith see things through the grid of the promise giving, covenant keeping God. Waiting for the Lord means you are totally convinced that God is at work in this awful situation even though you cannot see it at the moment. By God’s grace you do the next thing that needs to be done, trusting that God is at work behind the scenes.

They that wait upon the lord shall mount up with wings like eagles. The eagle is the most powerful of the birds. This king of birds soars effortlessly high in the sky. God gives those who wait upon him strength to soar above everything. He enables them to live a heavenly life of love and Joy in his very presence. Then, like the graceful flight of an eagle, their path through trials is one with supernatural peace and power.

There are three states of life. There will be moments in the spiritual life when we feel as if we are soaring on top of things. There will also be moments, probably more frequent, when we feel as if we are running, as if we have hit some kind of stride. If we wait upon the Lord we shall run and not be weary. Most of life consists of walking, just putting one foot in front of the other because things are tough. If we wait upon God he will give us enough strength to keep us from fainting. No matter the state God is always near.

Walking in the strength given by the Lord is seen as the most advanced spiritual exercise. To live in faithful dependence on him step by step is the greatest accomplishment of all. Walking, not flying or running, is the definitive New Testament metaphor for the life of faith. When we lean on Jesus, we won’t frantically struggle through life in our own power but lean on Jesus for His ability in every situation.

Vigorous young men stumble, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength (Isa 40:30-31). This is a conditional promise. God reserves special strength for people who make Him the focus of their hope. Chuck Swindoll's formula for joyful, productive living as an older Christian is “Live with the realities of the present, anticipate the future with hope and let go of past disappointments.'

God had sent Israel into exile for the purpose of spiritual reformation. The scene of this reformation was Babylon, the most oppressive place on earth. Weariness and weakness, then, are prerequisites for spiritual reformation. Until we grow weary and acknowledge our weakness, we tend to choose anything but heartfelt dependence on the Lord. The Lord’s plan is not destroy Israel in exile; it’s to change Israel.

Is there some form of oppression in your life at the moment? Does it feel in any way as if you're in captivity? Are you, like Israel, asserting, "my way is hidden from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"? Whatever form of oppression you find yourself under, you are not there because the Lord does not know about it or because he is weak. He is able to act and he knows what he's doing. He is able to help, he knows how to help and he knows when to help.

We can never understand God’s multifaceted purposes for the things that he allows into our lives. Specifically, we cannot find out why God does what he does. Job never found out why he suffered, but after the Lord gave him a tour of creation, Job said of his earlier complaints, "Therefore, I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know" (Job 42:3).

God is never stumped by our problems. He is never baffled by our questions. He is never confused by our confusion. When we know not what to do, he knows”. Wait for the Lord and he will enable you to transcend your circumstances. Connect with what the Lord will do in the future; it will give you strength for today. You will not only survive oppressive circumstances, you can flourish spiritually-even soar like eagles at times-in the middle of them. If you place your hope in him you will have strength to endure anything.