DEVOTION//Charge your batteries
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 (Isaiah 40:28-31).
My phone is three-years-old. The battery doesn't hold a charge as long as it used to. On some days, I need to plug it in the afternoon.
I'm like my phone. I can't work as long as I used to. I sometimes nap to recharge in the afternoon. I avoid evening meetings because my low battery light flashes on by then. My daily expiration time arrives by 10:00 pm. Sometimes before.
But people don't have to be retired to be tired. Life's disappointments and disasters deplete our endurance. Poor decisions and damaging deceptions drain us. Work stress and household distress sap our strength. None of that should surprise. It comes with being human.
'Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall…." Isaiah observes.
But God's grace gives us a way to recharge. "Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength," he promises. The more we are plugged into the wonderful news that God "made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions (Ephesians 2:5), the stronger our hope in the LORD. And the stronger our hope in the LORD grows, the more we are empowered to
• soar on wings like eagles;
• run and not grow weary,
• walk and not be faint.
China's attempts to silence the gospel within its boundaries are depleting the faith-batteries of China's Christians. Pray for them. Pray that the good news of Jesus renews their strength as it increases their hope.
Pray for the Church in China. Join us for 15 Days of Prayer. It begins on February 1. Learn more here. Get a free copy of your 15 Days of Prayer prayer guide here.