BYM ONLINE DESK Jan 2019 Blessing E-magazine | Page 11

January 2019 | www.bymonline.org
what grief is, we shall learn also how God gives strength
and consolation in grief.
Wait Upon the Lord
How can we make sure of receiving this promised
strength? The answer is: “They that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31). What is it to wait
upon the Lord? It means to trust God patiently, to believe
in God's love, to accept God's guidance, to keep near God's
heart, to live in unbroken fellowship with God, leaning
upon His arm, drawing help from Him. Prayer is part of
waiting upon God. When we go to Him in our prayers,
instantly we receive a new supply of grace.
As we wait upon God, abide in Christ, keep our
fellowship with Him unbroken, there flows from Him to
us, into our lives, in unbroken stream, strength according
to our needs…. As the waters of the sea pour out into
every bay and channel, every smallest indentation along
its shore, so God's strength fills every heart that is linked to
Him. Of His fullness we receive and grace for grace.
Note also the word “renew” in the promise. “They
that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” As
fast as the strength is exhausted, it is replenished. As fast
as we give out, God gives anew to us. It is like the widow's
barrel of meal and cruse of oil, which could not be
emptied, but which were filled up again as supplies were
drawn from them. We are to go on with our work, with our
struggle, with our doing and serving, never withholding
what duty demands, never sparing ourselves when the
calls of love to God or man are upon us, sure that, waiting
upon God, we shall ever renew our strength. We are in
living communication with Him who made the stars and
calls them by their names and holds all the universe in
being, who fainteth not nor is weary. He is back of us all
the while all His fullness of life, all His important strength
and every emptying of life from us is instantly
replenished, for He giveth power to the faint.
We want to be strong, to be always strong strong
in purpose, strong to meet temptation. Strong for work,
strong for holy living, strong in the bearing of sorrow,
strong in influence among men. We want to walk erect
and unwearied along life's paths, worthy followers of
Christ. We don't want to be stumbling and falling every
day. The call of God to us all is: “Be strong.” But we are
conscious of weakness. We cannot stand against the
forces of evil that ever assail us. We cannot walk erect and
steadfast under the burdens of life. What can we do?
Over all the unopened year God casts His light.
There can be no experience till the year ends for which
there will not be strength. God never gives a duty, but He
gives also the needed power to do it. He never lays on us a
burden, but He will sustain us under it. He never sends a
sorrow, but He sends the comfort to meet it. He never calls
to any service, but He provides for its performance. We
need only to be sure that we wait upon God, and then all the
strength we shall need will be given, as we go on, day by
day.
(Taken from “Things that Endure” by J. R. Miller)
Thus it is when we give to others in Christ's name;
He fills the emptiness. “Give and it shall be given unto
you” (Luke 6:38) is the Master's word. Thus it is when
sorrow takes out of our life our loved ones. We think we
can never go on any more, that the sun can never shine for
us again, that we can never rejoice or sing as before, that
we can never take up again our work, our tasks. But God
does not leave the place empty.
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