In verses 30 and 31 of chapter 40 it says, “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.” You don’t get tired because you have gotten old. Even the young “grow tired and weary.” (30) In this present age we are exposed to various kinds of stress and everyone is exhausted. How can we live lively in this stressful society? Here it says, “those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” (30,31) Today I would like to talk about three things concerning “those who hope in the LORD.” (30)

I. Israel’s complaints (27)
First let’s look at verse 27. “Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel,‘My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God’?”
Here the complaints against Israel’s God are stated. Their complaint was their feelings of rejection, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God?” (27) They felt like God had averted his eyes from their suffering, like they were “disregarded by” (27) their God. Certainly they knew that God was great. He is the creator God that created the heavens and the earth. However, they are complaining like this: what relationship does God have with me? God doesn’t have any room in his heart for me. God doesn’t have any concern for me at all.
That’s how it seemed. At that time Israel was captured by Babylon and they were in captivity. They were struggling living in a Gentile area and they called on God about their difficulties, but God was only silent. In the midst of it they felt like God wasn’t concerned about them at all. They complained that their “way is hidden from the LORD” (27) and their “cause is disregarded by…God.” (27)
We too many times feel the same way, don’t we? We normally by increasing our worldly riches, increasing our knowledge, having enjoyment, and by increasing our influence, we endeavor and try to live a life of trying to make the conditions around us better. However, it doesn’t go as well as we thought it would, and problems stack up, and even if we seek the advice of people, in the end we end with only stupid advice. Therefore, we have no hope for our future and fall into the condition of being miserable and in despair. Then we desperately try to pass through it and even if we pray to God there isn’t any change occurring. When we are still in the midst of suffering, we feel that we have been abandoned. The situation that Israel was in was exactly the same situation.
However, such complaints come not from faith, but come from their weaknesses, their lack of faith in God. 40:1 says, “Comfort, comfort my people.” Israel was God’s people of the covenant. We have become God’s children by believing in the Savior Jesus Christ’s death of atonement and resurrection. If so, it is a matter of fact that God has a personal relation with us. God will definitely not hide from us or disregard us.
Often my daughter in Tokyo sends e-mails or calls to my wife’s cell phone. When the e-mails start they don’t end in 1 or 2 times. They continue forever. Looking first hand at the situation, even though my wife is busy, she is mailing back and forth for a long time. From my viewpoint, I think all she needs to say is “I’m busy now. Later”, but they continue forever sending e-mails. My wife does that because she is her daughter. She thinks that for her daughter no matter how busy she is, she will postpone her things and take time for her daughter. The Lord became our God. God is our heavenly father. If so, God will definitely not hide from his children or disregard them.
Also God is the Creator God that created the heavens and the earth. We know that God himself created everything and under his perfect control God leads in everything. God allows situations that we think are despairing in our lives so that in the midst of such situations we will recognize our helplessness, and from our hearts look forward to help from the living God only.
Isaiah is prophesizing that the people of the covenant (Israel) too were separated from the living God, and if they yearned for the gods of the Gentiles, a situation of being destroyed will come to the country. It will be a situation that they will think is wretched and despairing. In our lives too, about the country’s vicissitudes of fortunes too, we are in a situation which is thought to be wretched and despairing where you can’t go through it by your own effort and plans. We are made to stand at the fork of life and death, but even when we are made to stand in such a condition, the magnificent, living God by far exceeds the situation, and He leads in all things with his immeasurable wisdom and by unbelievable methods.
Therefore, that Israel became captive to Babylon too was not God’s failing. That we are put in situations of various difficulties too is not meaningless. God who controls all things is in the background, and is leading in this way. If that’s the case, we must not complain that God doesn’t know our situation and isn’t taking notice of our feelings of remorse. To complain like that is to bring the Creator God down to the same level as other gods: a god that can’t see, a god that can’t hear, a god that naturally disregards us. However, our God is not that kind of god. Our God is the Creator God that made the heaven and the earth and is the God who leadings everything for the best. He has a plan that He is leading which greatly exceeds our situation.
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Ruben Torrey Jr. was a missionary to China. In 1945 when he was doing missionary work in China, while traveling in a truck he had an accident. When he was carried to the hospital, he was seriously hurt so his left arm had to be amputated. However Doctor Torrey didn’t bear a grudge on anyone, but rather was thankful. “Lord, thank you that you have given me both arms up until now and that I have lived easily. Now I am thankful that you took away one arm.”
For a while he returned to America and in 1952 returned to Korea to work. Dr. Torrey saw many people who lost their arms and legs in the war. At that moment he understood that why he had no arm was to prepare him for the work in Korea. He was able to understand the suffering and handicap of the people who had no arm and he was able to touch their hearts. Then he learned the skills of making artificial arms and artificial legs, founded a rehabilitation center, and made artificial arms and artificial legs for the people and soldiers that had lost an arm and or leg. The meaning of all his suffering was hidden there.
If it rains, the flowers that are blooming in the garden will be no good so we dislike it. If anything, we have a tendency to take it negatively, but that is wrong. If a person has experienced drought, he knows what a great blessing rain is. God “sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45) watering the ground, and giving blessings to the ground. That is the same in our lives too. When the storms of life strike violently, it seems we are going to collapse from its huge force, but in reality such time are really blessings. “For theirs is the kingdom of God.” “For they will be comforted.” That too is in the will of our merciful God. It is so that God will make us even stronger. He decided it was necessary. God pours rain hitting us on the outside, and by that our insides are made stronger.
Therefore, we must look to the eternal Creator God. There is no place that God’s hand doesn’t reach in this world. God’s power is great, his knowledge is immeasurable. We need to wait expectantly for God. We can experience the hand of salvation when we realize that we are in a situation that our plans, knowledge, wisdom, and efforts are of no avail and we realize that we are powerless and from our hearts wait expectantly for only the help of the living God.

II. The Lord is the eternal God (Vs. 28,29)
Next please look at verses 28 and 29. To the Israelites who complained to the Lord, Isaiah reminds them what God is like. “Do you not know? Have you not heard? 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.”
In verse 21 God through Isaiah is speaking to pagans. “Do you not know?
Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?” Here this is being asked of the people of the covenant, Israel. Even if we are Christians, just like unbelievers there are times that we forget God’s greatness and magnitude. We must always remember clearly what God is like. That is what is necessary for overcoming the various troubles that we face. Here Isaiah is introducing four qualities of God.
1. “The LORD is the everlasting God.” (28) God has no beginning or end. For
God it is always “now”. He is an eternal being. God is a being that stands above all time and space. The Lord always exists from the beginning of eternity to the end of eternity. There is no time when God doesn’t exist. God exists for ever and everywhere.“I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8)God is “the Alpha and the Omega”, (Rev. 1:8) the first and the last. God lives eternally. God knew you from when you were made in the womb, no, He knew you before he “formed you in the womb.” (Jeremiah 1:5) There isn’t even a moment when he didn’t know you. God definitely knows you. You are always remembered by God. Even when you are in the midst of suffering too God hasn’t forgotten you. And the eternal God that doesn’t change will work to answer your needs.
2. The Lord is “the Creator of the ends of the earth.” (28) All things were made
by God. There was not even one thing that was not made by him. God is the omnipotent God who is “the Creator of the ends of the earth.” (28) How great the power and energy of creating is is more than we can imagine.“Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.” (13-17)Here it is talking about the greatness of the Creator God. That is a great power. There is not even one thing that God who created the heaven and the earth can’t do. Even if you have a huge problem that could turn the heavens and earth upside down, for the Creator God it is no problem at all. It is smaller than dust, a tiny problem. God can’t be compared to anything else. Before God all things are useless. That is because God is an omnipotent God who is “the Creator of the ends of the earth.” (28)
3. God “will not grow tired or weary.” (28) In the present age everyone is tired.
All people depend on idols, make worldly wealth and knowledge the purpose of their lives, and seek pleasures. When they make effort to obtain such things and invest their energies into them, a time will come when they realize their limitations and grow tired. Also forever they can’t remain stretched tight. In the course of time the energy will weaken and decline. That is mankind. This is society. However, God ““will not grow tired or weary.” (28) (energy will weaken, decline, stop) The power of God is limitless. Then God will give the limitless energy to those who are tired. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (29) God infuses “the weary and …the weak” (29) with this flood of power. God is inviting those who are tired and those who are carrying a load to come to him. Then he will give such people strength and comfort them
4. God has “understanding no one can fathom.”(28) “Understanding” (28)
means an ability to discern. It is an ability to correctly understand and correctly discern things based upon reasoning and knowledge. God no matter how difficult a situation always understands, and God grasps well each individual person’s circumstances and situation that he is in. God has “understanding no one can fathom.” (28)
Even so the Israelites complained that God didn’t know their situation and doesn’t notice them at all. This is because they lost sight of the nature of God. We are the same. “Do you not know? Have you not heard?” (28) There is no place in this world that the Creator God’s arm does not reach. “He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” (28) We must look to this God.

III. Hope in the Lord (Vs, 30,31)
Therefore, the third point is to “hope in the LORD”. (30) Please look at verses 30 and 31. “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who 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 recommended the people of Judah that were captured by Babylon to look to the Lord. They were exhausted in their life as captives and had complaints and despair. Isaiah encouraged them to overcome their sufferings by depending upon the Lord who gives them strength and vigor.
Here it says, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.” (30) Here “youth” (30) is used because it represents the generation that can boast of physical strength. “Youth” (30) compared with the elderly have strength. However, “even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.” (30) Even if you brag about your strength today, there are cases of suddenly falling into helplessness and despair the next day. You have the kind of feeling of depression, and are reluctant to do things. You lose your desire to eat, and you can’t sleep well at night. Throughout the whole body has a washed out feeling and you can’t concentrate on things. You don’t understand the meaning of things. You think you are the bad person, and blame yourself for everything. You think there is no other way except suicide. There are cases like this.
In such cases, what should you do? Here it says, “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.” (31) “Those who hope in the LORD” (30)

means those who depend completely on the Lord who gives strength. The source of that strength is the Lord God. When we bind ourselves to the Lord who is the source of strength those people “will renew their strength.“ (31) and they can live.
Dr. Toshihiko Tokizane who is a brain physiologist, and an honorable professor at the University of Tokyo wrote in the book “Being human” that the way to relieve stress needs four things. 1. Sleep 2. Alcohol 3. Songs 4. Gambling (only winning) Then he summarized in the end, “However, no matter what is said, the most effect method for dealing with stress is to have joy of the heart.” In other words, a person that has joy springing up from the depth of their heart will not lose to stress, but can use stress as a spring to move forward.
Then how can we have real joy? To have that it is necessary to know two things. 1. To know the real meaning and purpose of life.
2. To connect with a certain, solid, and reliable thing. That is said to be Jesus Christ.
John 14:6
Matt. 11:88
Jesus Christ is the only certain road. He is God who became man. “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.” (28, 29) If you go to Jesus, if you are connected to Jesus, you can rest. To be at rest spiritually is to find peace with God through Jesus Christ. This rest is promised to all who put their trust in God and obey him. To be at rest spiritually also allows us to experience psychological rest too. When we at rest in Christ, no matter the stress we are in we will “not grow weary” (31) or tired and we will be able to run.
That is like soaring “on wings like eagles”. (31) Once up in the air the eagles can soar. They are known to soar great distances which they would be exhausted flying pumping their wings. Those who “hope in the LORD” (31) don’t have to go around using up their energy flapping their wings. They can rest in the Lord and soar boldly in the sky. Those who “hope in the LORD” (31) know what God is like, believe in the power of the Lord, and put all in the hands of God. They soar in the sky on the winds of the Holy Spirit. They receive strength from the Holy Spirit.
Is there any one here today that is tired? It is necessary to “hope in the LORD.” (31) Jesus will give you rest. He will renew your strength. By the power of the Holy Spirit that God gives you, you “will run and not grow weary”. (31) You “will walk and not be faint.” (31) Let’s be Christians that don’t know tiredness.
Lastly I would like to finish by telling you the story of Eric Liddell, the main character, in the movie, Chariots of Fire. The stage is the 1924 Olympics held in Paris. When Liddell learns the news that the heat for his 100 meter race will be on a Sunday, he refused to run the race – despite strong pressure from the Prince of Wales and the British Olympic committee – because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on the Lord’s Day.
Hope appeared in the form of Liddell’s teammate, Lord Andrew Lindsay. Having already won a silver medal in the 400 metres hurdles, Lindsay proposed to yield his place in the 400 metre race on the following Thursday to Liddell, who gratefully agreed. His religious convictions in the face of national athletic pride made headlines around the world.
Liddell delivered a sermon at the Paris Church of Scotland that Sunday, and quoted from Isaiah 40, ending with:
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (31)
No one expected Eric to win the 400 meter run. The first half he ran at top speed and at 200 meters he was in the lead. Everyone assumed he would be exhausted and soon fall behind. However, Liddell then threw his head back and with mouth wide open ran and did not grow weary. The Lord renewed his strength He won the Gold medal in the race. He also made a world record with a time of 47.6 seconds. His record was unbroken for 12 years. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (31)
We too, let’s like Eric Liddell “hope in the LORD”. (31) Let’s always look to heaven and the power of the Lord that springs up from there, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and run the race of faith.
Andrew Murray in his book, “Waiting on the Lord” he says, “If our waiting begins by quieting the activities of nature, and being still before God; if it bows and seeks to see God in His universal and almighty operation, alone able and always ready to work all good; if it yields itself to Him in the assurance that He is working and will work in us; if it maintains the place of humility and stillness, and surrenders until God’s Spirit has quickened the faith that He will perfect His work: it will indeed become the strength and the joy of the soul.”
This week let’s find time and be silent before the Lord, and put into practice waiting on the Lord. “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.” (31) Let’s receive God’s strength that is never ending, and move forward this week.