A Broken and Bold Heart
John Piper
In what is traditionally called a "Messianic prophecy"-a prophetic statement about the coming Messiah-the book of Isaiah speaks of what the then future Savior would do for those who believe in Him. Verse 29 can only be fully understood in the context of the preceding verse, which reads: "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." (NRSV V:28)
So, the book of Isaiah informs us that God never wearies, God never gets tired. But that same "unsearchable" and ultimately "incomprehensible" God "gives strength to those who grow tired and increases the strength of those who are weak." While Isaiah would probably accept Christ's ability to provide energy and strength in our day-to-day lives, he would certainly also see this "weakness" and "tiredness" in the context of our spiritual pursuit. Mortality is brutal! Life often kicks us when we're down! And most of us struggle to keep up our "spiritual energy" while living in a world that "saps" that life-giving Spirit right out of us. Thus, Isaiah encourages us to turn to the Lord. Trust in Him. Know that He can give you the strength to endure-the challenges of mortality, the temptations of this life, and the buffetings of the devil!
In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.