Isaiah 40:5, 11 NIV
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Twice in this chapter we are asked to whom we can compare God. Between those two instances lie some of my favorite picturesque expressions of the greatness of God that we find in the Bible. God is compared to other gods, to people, to creation, and to the nations, but nothing comes close to God. He is so great that if we were to take all the wood of Lebanon to build altar fires and all the animals of the forests there for sacrifices it would never be enough. He is so great that the nations are like a drop in a bucket. Other gods are formed by men, but God formed men. He is a god of glory and his glory will be revealed.
Amazingly though, this chapter is not about the glory of God. It is about the comfort of God's people. Wrapped around this expression of the greatness and glory of God is the assurance that the suffering and discipline of his people will end. He will tend his flock and carry them close to his heart. He will give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. It is the power and glory of our God that guarantees our comfort, our strength and our hope.
Isaiah 40:31 NIV
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Father, thank you that connected to some of my favorite expressions of your greatness I find some of my favorite expressions of your sustaining strength. Forgive me for often allowing circumstances and people to loom larger in my eyes than you. It is in your greatness and glory that I find hope, strength and rest.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
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