A Prayer about Our Tireless, Weariless God
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. (Isa. 40:28–31 NIV)
Gracious Father, this was one of the first Scriptures I memorized as a young believer, yet reading it today is like finding a new treasure in an old field. That’s one of the things I most love about your Word. It’s never antiquated or redundant but always vintage and ever new. You’re the God who speaks in specifics and without stuttering. You’re the Father who knows what we need even before we ask, and you provide before we ask.
This passage from Isaiah is underlined multiple times in my favorite Bible, and for good reason. It reminds me that you’re not like me, in so many ways. You never get tired or weary. I do and I am. Accepting limitations, finiteness, and weakness has never been one of my strengths. But I must. Since youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall, why do I think I’m exempt from “running on empty” and hitting a wall? ট
Father, I’m not asking to soar like an eagle, as fun as that might be, and I’m not seeking to run like a sprinter or a marathoner. Just walking upright with a renewed heart, a steady gait, and a replenished energy will be enough.
My hope is in you, Father— merciful Abba, who brings refreshment into the wilderness; generous Lord, who promises sufficient grace every day; mighty God, who raises the dead. Right now I look to you for all the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical strength I’ll need to live out the implications of the gospel just today. I’m not depleted, though heading there, but I have no doubts about your great compassion for me in Jesus.
Because Jesus embraced the ultimate weakness and weariness of the cross, I’m confident of your burden-bearing love. I may be weary in my servant hood, but I’m thriving in my son ship. Nothing can separate us from your love. I pray in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.