Grown Weary

Grown Weary

ISAIAH 7

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Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:13-14 NKJV

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God does not grow weary or impatient with us easily. It is just a small thing to weary man - but takes much effort and disregard for the things of God's kingdom for Him to grow weary.

What a wonderful reminder, and so timely. As we read Isaiah: there will be many chapters of prophetic judgement. It can feel overwhelming and difficult to read. The next few or many chapters are filled with what will feel like much doom and destruction. I want to encourage you to keep reading.

When we read these chapters I challenge you to keep in mind these chapters are mere "snapshots". We are hearing a word (snapshot) of judgement. We haven't been privy to the video (or full understanding and knowledge of a given situation) of the previous hundred years (or more), leading up to this "snapshot." We may not get the opportunity to see the video that follows either. We get this. The message on these pages.

I can feel the weight of my own humanness and how weary I can become just reading these accounts. I have no ownership or onus, I am no one's god. And yet I am so weary.

God is slow to anger. God has the entire story, all the video, all the hundreds of years of history. He is well informed. And I couldn't be more grateful for God's Godness in this. I have been feeling challenged to get comfortable with the judgment of God. He is righteous, holy, good, and able.

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The Lord is merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

Psalm 103:8

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God is merciful.

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Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

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God's sign of perseverance, faithfulness, and steadfastness is in the work of Jesus on the cross.

And God is so magnificent that He devised a plan: a plan of redemption for all mankind. And He gave us a sign. A sign of a begotten and holy Son, born of a virgin, and He is Immanuel: Jesus, God with us.

As I thought about feeling weary, I was reminded of how weary, heavy, stressful, and how relentless the 2020 (and longer) pandemic felt. Putting it into words now feels a bit easier but I'm unsure if it conveys the emotion.

I worked in the ER at the time and if you recall we had no idea how COVID presented. It wasn't just respiratory, it was gastrointestinal as well. The spirit of fear ran rampant and unchallenged through our country, our work places, and homes. I had pressure sores on my face from the equipment I had to wear. It was oppressive.

We had no understanding, we were blind. I had no idea if what I saw and treated in the ER would lead to me giving to my family and ultimately cause their demise. Physicians were living in RVs in their driveways, nurses uprooted from their homes and lived in hotel rooms. It was so heavy.

We didn't know what we didn't know. And looking back now, I see the folly. I see the acceptance of fear. I also see courage. I see the beauty and frailty of humanity. I see why connection matters. I see now. But I was blinded then.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for challenging us to leave judgement to you. Thank you for the perspective shift. Thank you for showing us beauty in what appears to be despair. Thank you for your redemptive promise for all of mankind! We are so thankful you gave your Son, we would never be able to earn or deserve such an extraordinary gift, and yet Jesus is just the beginning of your good, and perfect gifts. We position our hearts to receive all You have. In Jesus's name, amen.