He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Despite his blistering denunciation of the apostate ways of God’s chosen people and in spite of the prophet Isaiah’s grave warning regarding God’s impending wrath and the inevitable punishment that must follow God’s disobedient people, we discover that the Lord is gracious towards His chosen nation, Israel, and offers them beautiful words of comfort, encouragement, renewal, and pardon. Regardless of their rebellious ways, the prophet presents words of consolation and strength to the afflicted people of God. He is willing to forgive their sin and they are to be ready to receive their coming King. The day was to come when they would hear a voice in the wilderness, calling them to prepare the way of the Lord. In this beautiful passage of Scripture, the Lord graciously invites His people to prepare their hearts to receive the Lord into their midst and to hear His message of salvation, grace, reconciliation, and hope. God, in His suffering kindness, promised that He would send a messenger who would prepare the way of the Lord. He would come to prepare the hearts of the people. He would come to straighten the path for the arrival of the promised Messiah. The Lord promised to right every wrong and to exalt every valley that had been laid low. He vowed to make the crooked path straight. He pledged to feed His flock like a Shepherd and committed to gather His little lost lambs into His own loving arms. He reminded them that His ways are perfect, His counsel is sure, His justice is true, and His compassion and mercy is new every morning. Despite his blistering denunciation of the apostate ways of God’s chosen people in the early chapters of Isaiah, the prophet’s message is one of enormous comfort and encouragement, for the Lord is a faithful and gracious God who gives strength to the weak and rest to the weary. He has promised that, “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” These words of Isaiah were indeed good tidings of great joy to the little, faithful remnant of Israel, but they are words of great comfort and relief to all who are weary and heavy-laden, both Jew and Gentile alike, for He sent Jesus to be the good Shepherd of the sheep, the Door of the sheepfold, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Light to all who would trust in His name for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. Praise His holy name.
Spiritual Steve 