Isaiah 33-34
Lord, be merciful to us! We wait for you. Give us strength each morning! Deliver us when distress comes. – Isaiah 33:2 NET
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by it all? Does attempting to live the Christian life in this world ever leave you feeling discouraged, disheartened and a little bit disillusioned? Just imagine how the faithful remnant living at the time of Isaiah's prophesies felt. There were a small number of "believing" Jews who were faithful to God and yet were having to go through the same circumstances as the rest of the unbelieving, unfaithful population. They were having to listen to the messages of warning from Isaiah. They knew that destruction was coming and fully understood why. They were appalled by the spiritual condition of their countrymen and knew that God was just in having to discipline them for their rebellion and rejection of Him. But that didn't keep them from calling out to Him and appealing to His mercy. As we read of God's plans for the destruction of Assyria and Edom, we run across this single verse reflecting the cries of this faithful remnant of God's people. They call out for mercy. The Hebrew word for mercy is chanan and it means: "to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior." It is an appeal for God to show them favor, to pity them and extend undeserved kindness to them. They are waiting for Him. The Hebrew word for wait is qavah and it carries the idea of eager anticipation, hope and expectation. They knew their only hope is in God. He is the answer to all their needs. There is no need to look elsewhere, because He is their strength. The word used here is actually zerowa and it means "arm." It is a figurative term for strength, might and power. They are waiting on the "long arm of the law" to act on their behalf. And they are very specific. They ask God to reveal His strength each and every day, because without it, they will not survive. Ultimately, they want salvation. That is really what they are waiting for. The Hebrew word for salvation is yeshuwah. It means "salvation, deliverance or victory." Again, they want God to save them, to give them victory and provide them with deliverance from their circumstances.
So who do you wait on? Are you eagerly waiting on God? Do you look to Him as Your strength, your source of power and protection? Where will you turn for the strength you need to make it through the day? Who will you turn to when you encounter the inevitable tough times along life's way? Why not turn to Him? Why not eagerly wait for His deliverance? Cry out for His mercy. Ask Him to reveal His power in your life. Appeal to Him for salvation in times of trouble. He is faithful. He will answer.
Father, we can count on You, even when things look bleak and hopeless. May we learn to call out to You and eagerly wait for You to act. Don't let us lose hope. Don't let us turn elsewhere. Keep our eyes and our hearts focused on You even on the darkest days. Because You along are our strength and salvation. Amen