I'm sitting in a hotel room right now in the middle of downtown Seoul. Forget about New York City being the city that never sleeps; this is the real city that never sleeps. Almost the entire city is open 24/7. Bars, coffee shops, shopping, bowling alleys, museums, amusements parks, you name it....whatever you want to do here in Seoul, you can do it anytime you want.
And yesterday, I was the person who never sleeps. I went to bed after midnight on Thursday night, and was up by 4:00 am the next morning. I took a bus from Goesan to Seoul, checked into a hotel, drove from Seoul to the DMZ, went to North Korea for a few minutes, drove back to Seoul, met and had dinner with the American ambassador to South Korea and several other embassy officials, walked around and explored the city of Seoul, and sang Korean's version of Karaoke with my friends - all in on day! It was after midnight before I stumbled into bed, completely exhausted.
But this morning I stumbled across this jewel of a verse in Isaiah chapter 40. I am well acquainted with the latter half of verse 31, but have not often read it in the context of the surrounding verses. But God's word assures us that everyone will get tired - except for Him. He gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. He renews our strength when we trust in Him. He gives us the strength to run and not grow weary, to walk and not be faint. No matter how exhausted we may be, the Lord promises to refresh us and to renew our strength, to let us soar on wings like eagles. On a day like today, when all I want to do is sleep, what an awesome promise that is to take hold of.
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.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 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.
And yesterday, I was the person who never sleeps. I went to bed after midnight on Thursday night, and was up by 4:00 am the next morning. I took a bus from Goesan to Seoul, checked into a hotel, drove from Seoul to the DMZ, went to North Korea for a few minutes, drove back to Seoul, met and had dinner with the American ambassador to South Korea and several other embassy officials, walked around and explored the city of Seoul, and sang Korean's version of Karaoke with my friends - all in on day! It was after midnight before I stumbled into bed, completely exhausted.
But this morning I stumbled across this jewel of a verse in Isaiah chapter 40. I am well acquainted with the latter half of verse 31, but have not often read it in the context of the surrounding verses. But God's word assures us that everyone will get tired - except for Him. He gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. He renews our strength when we trust in Him. He gives us the strength to run and not grow weary, to walk and not be faint. No matter how exhausted we may be, the Lord promises to refresh us and to renew our strength, to let us soar on wings like eagles. On a day like today, when all I want to do is sleep, what an awesome promise that is to take hold of.
Isaiah 40:28-31
28 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.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 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.
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