Welcome to God's Gym (Isaiah 40:1-31)

Many people are obsessed with physical fitness. They spend a lot of time on fitness activities such as walking, jogging, lifting weights, and cycling, to name a few. A consistent training regimen will develop healthier and stronger bodies. Physical strength is important to one's overall physical health, but what about spiritual health? How many people spend time walking, jogging, and lifting the things of God, so that they can improve their spiritual fitness? Timothy writes that in the last days, people will be, "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." People today are much weaker spiritually than ever before. Even Christians have little spiritual strength. In a day when we are saturated with instant information, most of us are ever learning simply by viewing the abundance of information that crosses our screens. The problem, however, is that the information is a mile wide, but only an inch deep. I meet many people who are tired when the go to bed, and they are tired when they get up. People are depressed and discouraged, and they are searching for life's missing piece. The meaning of life has escaped them and they can't find encouragement anywhere or in anything. Isaiah to the rescue! The book of Isaiah is a book of encouragement. In Isaiah's day, the children of God had been in captivity for 70 years. They needed encouragement, and so do we. We can be sure that God's promise that he gave in Isaiah's day still stands for us today.

I. The Message of Encouragement

Isaiah 40 begins with God comforting his people. The sins of the people- their betrayal of worshiping a golden calf is about to be removed. Her warfare has ended. God's judgement is over, and he has a new message for his people. "Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness." There will be no more persecution, and God will make their way smooth. God's promises, which are located in his word, will stand forever. Nothing can destroy the Word of God, How encouraging that must have been then, and how encouraged we should be today! How does the message of encouragement reach the world? It is the duty of the church to point people to the Lord by sharing the Gospel. Verse 9 tells believers to stand up before the people with a loud voice and say, "Here is your God!"

II. The Manner of Encouragement

Verse 10 tells us how God will come in response to our call for him. He will come with might. Verse 11 gives even more encouragement. God will tend his flock by gathering them and gently leading them. Additionally, he will be in complete control of all the events on earth. Verses 23 and 24 prove that God is in control. He raises up rulers, and he takes them down. For the evil and empty rulers, he will make them wither and go away. God is all-powerful and in control. When we realize that God is in control, we can lay down all our worries and rest.

III. The God of Encouragement

Verses 28-31 make up one of the passages that many believers memorize. This passage paints a word picture of encouragement. The focus of the painting is God as everlasting Lord; the creator of the Universe, the all-powerful, everlasting giver of strength. Verse 31 is the main verse of encouragement. God's promise is for those who "wait" on him. God promises us that he will give us renewed strength, that we will soar like eagles, we will run and not get tired, and we will walk and not become weary. What encouragement!

How do we wait on the Lord? We must learn to wait on God by spending quiet time in his word and in prayer. We have to give up control and let him take over our life. We must trust him with every minute detail of every situation. In a world where we are frantically running all kinds of races, it is easy to become tired and weary. Many people become weary, and then they isolate themselves until they are in deep distress. You do not have to run the race of life alone. Answer God's call. Let God's word be God's word. Read it and memorize it daily. Take time to be around other Christians. Both God's word and other believers are tangible resources of God's encouragement. Keep working out spiritually, and God will make you stronger than ever. Amen.